The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-03-27
The Iron Gate.

saI Jy Ofir,T Halaa>f az HonSly
CsLbr1fioH ef Gis 70ll Bfrtlday-
Where t. this patriarch you kindly greetingP
Not unfamiliar % my his name,
Nor yet unknown % many joyous meeting
In days long vanished-t- he still the sames
or changed by years. forgotten and forgetting.
DulI-eared di1n-sg GIFTED slow Of speech and thought
still DER the sal degenerate present frettiDg.
Where all goes wrong. ard nothing a. IT ought;
old age. the graybeard-weII indeed know him.
shrun. tottering bent Of aches and Ills the prey,
In sermon. story. fable. picture, poem.
Oft have I met him from my earliest day
In my old lEsop toiIing with his bundle,
His load Of sticks. politely asking Death
Who comes when called for-would he lug or trundle
His fagot for him7 He seant Of breath.
And sad EeeIesiastes. or the Preacher
he not stamped the image my soul
In the last chapter. where the worn-out teacher
sighs DER the loOssned cord, the broken bowl?
ars.. long indeed I've known him. at a distance
And my lifted door-latch shows him here -
take his shriveIled hand without resistance,
And find him smiling a. his step draws
What though Of giIded baublez he bereaves US.
Dear 70 the heart OF youth 70 manhood's prime
Think of the calm he brings the wealth he
The boarded spoils, the Iegaeies Of time.
Affairs flaming. still with incense fragrant,
Passions uneasy nursIngs rocked asleep,
Hopes anchor faster Wild desire less vagrant,
Life's flow less noisy, but the strean-how deept
shn as the silver cord gets worn and slender
Its Ightened task-work tugs with Iessening strain
Hands get more heIpful.-voices grown tender,
soothe with their soened tones the sIumberous brain
longs Manhood strives but Age reruembers-
sits BY the raked-up ashes OF the past
Spreads its thin hands above the whitening embers
That wErn its creeping lffe-blood till the last
Dear to IL. heart Is every loving token
That unbidden its pulse grows cold
Ere the last lingering ties Of life are broken,
Its lAbors ended and its story told.
An when around Us rosy youth rejoices.
For - the sorrow-laden breezes sigh,
And through the chorus Of its jocund voices
Throbs the sharp note % Misery's helpless cry.
A. on the gauzy wing Of fancy flying.
From some FAR orb track our wstery sphere
Home Of the struggling suffering. doubtins dying
The silvered sIobuis seems a slistening tear
But Nature lends her mirror OF illusion
To win from saddening scenes our age-dimmed eyes
And misty day-tlreams blend In sweet confusion
The wintry landscape aud the summer skies
SO. when the iron portal shuts behind Us,
And life forgets us In It's noise and whirl,
Visions that summed the gIaring MONDAY hnd us.
And slimmsring starlight shows the gates OF pearl
come not here your morning hour to sadden.
a 1mping pilgrim leaning on his staff
who have never deemed It sin 70 gladden.
This vale Of sorruws with wholesome IaHgh.
n word of mine anotheF's gloom has frightened
Through my dumb lips the heaven-sent message came;
II word o another'Ftask has Iightened.
It felt the guidance that IL darcs not claim.
But Oh my gentle sisters. Oh my brothers,
These thicksown suowflkes hint % tolls release
These fcebIer pulses bid leave % others
The tasks once welcome evening asks for peace
Time claims his tribute silence now - golden
Let not the too long suffering Tyre
Though b. y6ur love untiring still beholden.
The curfew tells me-cover up the hre-
And now with grateful smile and accents cheerful,
And warmer heart than look word can tell.
In simplest phrasethese traitrous eyes fearful
Thanks brothers, sisters children. and farewell.