Holiday Greetings, Dear Poetry Friends!
We'll be busy with family next week, so I wanted to find a poem to carry us into the New Year. We've made it through the solstice; let's look for cracks of lengthening light.
I turned to my copies of GOLDEN DAYS For Boys and Girls (Philadelphia: James Elverson, Publisher) and found a gem in Volume XVIII - No. 7 - January 2, 1897. It was written by A.M., and I wish I could tell you who that was!
It is, not surprisingly for publications of the time, written from a Christian perspective; while that happens to be mine as well, I think a few lines might appeal to an even broader audience.
TIME AND LOVE
How many a Christmas has the old clock seen,
And always with the same unchanging face!
Come, let us wreathe him round with evergreen,
And do him honor for a little space.
Yet what is Time to Love? And Love is here,
To give us a happy Christmas -- glad New Year.
How many tunes, by many people played,
Must through this room have echoed long ago,
When ladies swept the floor with long brocade,
Through stately dances minuetting slow!
But what is Time to Love? And Love, my dear,
Will make a Christmas in the saddest year.
How many children, in how many a romp,
Have wished the clock hands would not move so fast?
Come, let us wreath him now with merry pomp,
And bid him chime to heart's content at last.
For what is Time to Love? We need not fear,
Love will be with us through the coming year.
And very soon the carol sweet and gay,
With Christmas melody will greet the morn;
"Christians awake! Salute the happy day
Whereon the Saviour of mankind was born!"
Oh, what is Time to Love? And Love is here,
The Lord of Christmas and the changing year.
I'll keep these words of a bygone era close: For what is Time to Love? We need not fear,/Love will be with us through the coming year, and I wish their blessing upon you and yours.
The oh-so-smart-and-talented-and-generally-wonderful Buffy has the Roundup today at her place. Thank you, Buffy!
We'll be busy with family next week, so I wanted to find a poem to carry us into the New Year. We've made it through the solstice; let's look for cracks of lengthening light.
I turned to my copies of GOLDEN DAYS For Boys and Girls (Philadelphia: James Elverson, Publisher) and found a gem in Volume XVIII - No. 7 - January 2, 1897. It was written by A.M., and I wish I could tell you who that was!
It is, not surprisingly for publications of the time, written from a Christian perspective; while that happens to be mine as well, I think a few lines might appeal to an even broader audience.
TIME AND LOVE
How many a Christmas has the old clock seen,
And always with the same unchanging face!
Come, let us wreathe him round with evergreen,
And do him honor for a little space.
Yet what is Time to Love? And Love is here,
To give us a happy Christmas -- glad New Year.
How many tunes, by many people played,
Must through this room have echoed long ago,
When ladies swept the floor with long brocade,
Through stately dances minuetting slow!
But what is Time to Love? And Love, my dear,
Will make a Christmas in the saddest year.
How many children, in how many a romp,
Have wished the clock hands would not move so fast?
Come, let us wreath him now with merry pomp,
And bid him chime to heart's content at last.
For what is Time to Love? We need not fear,
Love will be with us through the coming year.
And very soon the carol sweet and gay,
With Christmas melody will greet the morn;
"Christians awake! Salute the happy day
Whereon the Saviour of mankind was born!"
Oh, what is Time to Love? And Love is here,
The Lord of Christmas and the changing year.
I'll keep these words of a bygone era close: For what is Time to Love? We need not fear,/Love will be with us through the coming year, and I wish their blessing upon you and yours.
The oh-so-smart-and-talented-and-generally-wonderful Buffy has the Roundup today at her place. Thank you, Buffy!