Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-02-12

h POET RY N
NaoS~-00~~e~o-0-ocyo-~o.~
The Life Shore.
Alone by my 6resde dreaming,
Counting Life's golden sands
Counting the years on my fingers,
Since my youth and shook hands
Since stood, weak and weary,
On the shores Cf troubled sea,
And my youth and It's hopeJ went drifting
Down the sbb tide, dark and free
Counting the years on my fingers,
Aud looking along the shore,
Back to the spot where we parted
Parted for evermore-
Many precious footprint
Race l upon the sands,
Hence to the shadowed waters,
Where my youth and shook ha de.
wavering and slow at their Outstart,
OF haltiug and turning back,
Alone in the mOurnfuI journey,
Are the first steps on the tack
Looking away through the sea a-mists--
Not at the stumbling feet
Are the teG.5lind eyes of the waudersr
Wntn she and pale Sorrow meet
Her passion is mute in this presence
And low, with her face OIL her hands,
K, cps she vigil Of silence
Midst the reck on the St orm beat sapds;
7 i'll comes through the moOnless darkresS,
Wrath.ike, u b. ar and slow,
With trailing garments Oi mourning,
Patience, with heavenwnd brow.
She rises up from her weeping,
Aud looks o'er the sea again
But night is low on the waters,
Aud her eyes may watch in vain.
Onward by Patience guided,
Onwand along the shore,
Leaving the wrecks unbu.iid,
Unburied fol eVernoro.
Peace comes in the morning twilight,
Strength comes in the later day,
And all these four together
Press forward upon the way
Not without bitter struggle
Passes the noontide heat,
Tune back, and checkd, aud bafled
OFT are her weary feet.
Could she but sit and rest her
One hour by the whteaing wave,
And gather old dreams around her,
'Tisall that her heart would crave:
But no she must work and suffer
While the day is daylight IL;
TLere is time for rest and iel.ness
In the grave beyond the hill.
Quicksand and ghastly breakers
Ale there on the forward track:
"Go on" means the tide, advancing,
"No lingering, no boxing back p
SWifer, and ever swilteT,
Comes the roll Of the mighty food,
And the waves Of dark Time sweeps over
The spot where ate 81 Q stood.
wide black waste Of water,
strewn Ger with spar and mast
The wrecks that the currents ca ry
10 the present from the past.
Across the heaving whirlpool,
She may look and look again,
There Is only mist and foaming,
Thick cloud and driving rain.
Death Hopes lost Love, lOH Happiness,
Lie pale on the tempest sea-
Seed sOwn in youth for harvest
That shall never gathered be.
Forward, and ever forward.
Skirting the haggard rocks,
Where no glimmer of golden sunshine
The dull gray silence moeGs.
Footsore and tagging often.
Mssyy both heart and brain
tCouisge, faint'heart, and forward
Such travail Is no in vain"
The heat Of the day is ovGr,
Twilight enshgonds the sky
Gone back are the sullen waters,
Leaving the footprints dry.
Some faint on the deep ribbd sea sand
In ell their wandering maze,
When she and her heart went blindlJ
Through long, long aching days:
Some clear Is hcut liz marble,
Straight on the beaten strand
Steady and true to their purpose,
Guided by angel hand.
Sitting alone By the Gre eide,
Alone this October Night.
Tracing backward journey
7 BY memOrys pale moonlight,
Looking through lifes long vis'a'
To is hours Of golden sands,
And counting my years on my fingers
Since my youth and me shook hands
Til bright in the ar-Off distance,
ID Like sun in pictured scene,
AsI round the hills Of autumns,
The old spring.times are seen.
AlisfeIlalleolls Rea0lnu