Poems Sigourney 1834/"The Fashion of this World Passeth Away"

by Lydia Sigourney

"THE FASHION OF THIS WORLD PASSETH AWAY."

1 Corinthians VII. 31.

A Rose upon her mossy stem,
    Fair Queen of Flora's gay domain,
All graceful wore her diadem,
    The brightest 'mid the brilliant train;
But Evening came, with frosty breath,
    And ere the quick return of Day,
Her beauties in the blight of death
                                          Had past away.

I saw when morning gemmed the sky
    A fair young creature gladly rove,
Her moving lip was melody,
    Her varying smile the charm of love,
At eve I came—but on her bed
She drooped—with forehead pale as clay,
"What dost thou here?"—she faintly said
                                          "Passing away."

I looked on manhood's towering form
    Like some tall oak when tempests blow,
That scorns the fury of the storm
    And strongly strikes its root below,
Again I looked,—with idiot cower
    His vacant eye's unmeaning ray

Told how the mind of godlike power
                                          May pass away.

Of Earth I asked, with deep surprise,
    Hast thou no more enduring grace,
To lure thy trusting votaries
    Along their toil-worn, shadowy race!
She answered not,—the grave replied,
    "Lo! to my sceptre's silent sway
Her boasted beauty, pomp and pride,
                                          Must pass away."