Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-01-02
THE CLOSING YEAR,

Tis midnight's holy hour; and silence now
Il brooding Hike gentle spirit DER.
The still and pulselcss world. fIark on tho
The bells deep tones gre swelling; Ills the knol
Of the departing year. No mineral train
y sweeping past; yet on the stream and wood.
with melancholy light the rnoonbcams rest
nks s rsls. srotiess shroudi the air is stirred
That fioats 80 still and placldly through heaven,
Ino spirits Of tho seasons socm 10 stand,
Young Spring, bright Summer, Autumn's solemn
form,
And Winter with his aged locks, and breathe
II mc,tmtui oadenoos that come abroad
Like tho far wind-harp's wild and touching wall,
A melancholy dirgo DER the dead year,
Conc IRON the earth forever.
'Tls time
For memory and for tears. within the deep,
Sfill chambers OF the heart . spectcr dim,
Whose tones are like tho wizard voice Of Time
Heard from the tomb Of nges, points its cold
And solemn finger 70 tho beautiful
And holy visions that have passed away
And left no shadow Of their loveliness
On the dead waste OF life. That specter lifts
Tho cofIin.lid Of hope, and Joy, and love,
And. bending mournfuly above the pale.
Sweet forms that slumber there. scattcrs dead
flowers
Der what has passed to nothlngness
Has one, and with II many glorious throng
OF happy dreams Its mark Is on each brow,
Its shadows In each heart. In its swift course
1twayod It's scepter DER the beautiful,
And they are not. 1t laid It's pallId hand
Upon the strong man; and the naughty form
Is fallen and tho flashing eye Is dim
Il trod the hall a reyelry, where thronged
The bright and joyous; and tho fearful wall
" stricken ones IL heard, where erst the song
And reckless shout resounded.
II passed ocr
The battle plain, where sword. and spear. and
shield,
Flashed In tho light Of midday, and tho strength
0f serrlcd hosts Is shiycrcd, and the grass,
Green from the soil Of carnage. waves above
The crushed md mouderng skeleton. II came
Az>d faded like wreath Of mist al eve
II hefalded Its millions 70 their home
IN the dim land Of dreams.
Remorssess Time
Fierce spirit Of tho glass and scytho what
Can stay him In his silent course, or melt
lis Iron heart 10 pityr On, still on
Ne presses, and forever The proud bird,
The condor OF the Andes, that can soar
Through heavens unfathomablo depths, or brave
yhe fury Of the northern hurricane,
And bathe his plumage In the thundcr's home.
ruris his broad wings at nght-isll. and sinks
10 rest upon his mountain craig; but Time
knqws not the weight Of sleep or weariness,
And nights deep darkness has no chain to bind
His rushing pinons.
Revolutions sweep
Ger earth liko troubled visions o'cr the breast
Qfofeamlng sorrow; cities rise and sink
Like bubbles on the water aory isles
npring blazing from the ocean, and go back
10 their mysterious cavcrns; mountains rear
To heaven their bald and blackcned cliffs, and
bow
THOR tall heads 10 tho plain: new empires rise,
Gathering the strength Of hoary centuries,
Startling the nations; tho very stars,
Yon bright and burning blazonry of God,
tsliftnr awhile In the afernaI deiIths
And. like the Plciad, ioveliest Of their train,
shoot from the glorious spheres, and pass away
70 dAfkle ~ the traokIess void; yet Time,
Time, tho tDrnb builder, holds his nerccr career,
Dark, stern, All.pitilcss, and pauses not
Amid the mighty wrecks that strew his path,
10 sit and muse, Ike other conquerors
Upon the fearful ruin no has wrought.
--tGoorge d. Prentice