New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-01-14
HE TR IBU N E.
Z OF 7 De IIlSHn
IIF
BY JOHN ACOUSTICS SHEA.

LIFE
JOIN ACOUSTICS SHEA
BAixy time have we, amid the din
And turmoil Of tamultuous TRIES
To look for oae calm hour within.
And see how Tine, the tyrsnt, riaes,
So nsi.elessiy-so s;ealthily-
Pulse After pulse, LIES buoyancy;
Those brigh,, warm feelings Of the heart
Which were the pure ethereal par,
OF every tkough.-no matter whether
Twas gay ead shining as ;hs feather
We catch from Eancy's wings Of light,
Or Reasons, in her duiler fight
Across the gardens Of The soul,
Sacred TO Love and Beauty only,
Blooming beneath their ~ ia control,
And lighted By their Iusue only
Gs,dens whose magic bowers, like those
Where bIest Arabia's g,nii dwell,
No mortal sees but he who knows
And f.eis ,hs spiri, OF their spell
Gardens which are holy land
Trod only by shining baud
OfFanciss ,hitner hourly brought
Tbs people Of enchanted thought.
Come !-ours i. q delightful task
One glance will reach tbs mystic whole;
And Times uogentle work uomask
And tell WHIST brilliant gifts he stole:
Well gather wisdom from our fate,
Improve the treasures Tise has left us,
And, though the hour Of lie be late,
A far more golden world create
Than thar OF which he hath bereft US:
or Love its mellow harvest time,
OF Hope It's lo5elieSi AID best,
OF Truth lis more ma,ufed sublime,
OF Friendship lis immortal,es
These are the only golden links
That ever to existence bound me,
And as my heart TO silence sinks.
Still lie, rae clasp them closer round me.
life is travelling to is close,
Remember, Ills at the decline
It's sue deeper lus,re throws,
And Nature looks but more divine.
Then come,-w We vet some hours, my boy
Hours sparkling With unwon,vd pleasur-e-
Momente that overflow with joy
Thoughts which >ouch can turn 10 treasures
Well remember youihhood's day,
When, If the heart unloosed lie rain,
Fancy would charm the cloud. away,
And make the heart as bright and gay
AS though i, ne'er would weep agsin.
Blu, soon III horizon of the earth
Increased the more as knowledge sought il,
And the lone spot that gave US birth
w ,,ha bod tt,ou h,
Ambition thee exchanged the laugh
OF boyhood for Eu,opia's bubbles,
And, wandering, lost the sunny halt
0flife, TO cope with all lis troubles:
And we have met them, hour BY hour,
Until our very dreams were pain,
And morning brought us but the power
To act their visions DER again.
But now us time 10 pause and think
Why Wa thus onward should b, driven,
Still fain to rise but forced TO sink
As feathers loosed 'tsixt earth and heaven,
As playthipgs whirled by every breeze,
Now here, now there, as if no power
Were ours some rock Of strength 10 seize
And dare the conflict Of the hour.
Life is no desert, waste and wild,
Where fowers can smile not, as they smi!'d,
As fresh and beautiful and fair
With colors bright end odors rare
Gay, living things which seem to MAKE,
Their dwelling there for human sake:
And il hath othsr foants than those
That play 10 youthhood's bowers ofplecsure ::
know OF one whose fullness throws
In every drop sparkling treasure;
It's spring is deep within the heart
Which laughs at cares as transient lrihes:
And, bss-like, with its own sweet art
From every flower some richness rifles.
What though the storm exclude the day,
Or moons refuse their silver light,
AS swee,ly will that fountain play
Ia ceaseless song by day or night.
And II, at morn or eve ray
Bend toward the earth its wandering way,
Twill clasp the radiant child Of cir
Though bu; for one bright moment given,
Till gloriously are mingled there
The song of earth and ligh, of heaven.
Thus will our days roll wisely on,
And Thought will have no time to cast
The shadows of enjoy ments gone,
To dim the Present with the Past.