The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-02
The Closing Year.


Ia orooding like gentle spirit DER
The still and pulseless world. Hark, on the
winds
The bells deep tones ars swelling-'tia the knel
OF the departed year. No funeral train
rs sweeping past: yet the stream and wood
With melancholy light. the moon-b beams rest
Like pale, spotless shroud; the air is stirred
As by q mourner's sigh; and yon cloud
That floats so still and placidly through heaven.
The spirits OF the seasons seem to stand
Young Spring bright Summer, Autumns solemn
And Winter with his aged locks-snd breathe
In mournful cadences that come abroad
Like the far wtnd-harps wild and touching
A melancholy dirgs Ger thed cad year.
Gone from the earth forever.
'Tfs a time
For memory and for tears. Within the deep,
still chambers OF the heart. a spectre dim,
Heard from the tomb OF ages. points its cold
And solemn finger to the beautiful
And holy visions that have passed away
Ard left shadows of their loveliness
On the dead waste OF life. That spectre lifts
The cornn-hd Of hope, and Joy. and love,
And, bending nourntully above the pale.
Sweet forms that slumber there. scatters dead
flowers
Ger what has passed 10 nothlnsress
The rear
Hss gone. and with II. many glorious throng
or happy dreams. It's mask is on each brow
It's shadow In each heart In Its swift course
And they are not: II laid its pallid hand
Upon the strong man. and the haIRhty form
Is fallen; and the flashing eye is dim.
Tt trod the hall OF reveiry, where thronKed
The bright and joyous--and the fearful wall
or stricken ones liz heard where erst the song
And reckless shout resounded.
It passed DER
The osttle-pian, where sword. and spear and
shisld
Flashed in the light of mtdday-Nnd thu
strength
or serred hosts is shivered and the grass.
Green from the soil OF carnage waves aSova
The crushed and moldering skeleton. II cars
And faded like wreath of mist at eve:
Yet ere ii melted in the viswless air.
It hera1ded Its millions TO their home
In the dim land of dreams.
Remorseless Time!
Fierce spirit OF the glass and scythe!--what
Can stay him In his silent course. or melt
His iron heart TO pity On. syiH. oH,--
He presses. and forever. The proud bird
The condor Of the Andes. that can soar
Through heavens unfathomable depths or
brave
The fury OF the northern hurricane
And battle his plumage in the thunders home
Furls his broad wings at nightfan. and sinks
Knows not the weight Of sleep wearinesg
And nights deep darkness has chain to bind
His rushing pinions.
Revolutions sweep
Ger earth. like troubled visions Ger the breast
or dreaming sorrow-cities rise and sink
Like bubbles on the water-fery isles
Spring blazing from the ocean. and go back
To their mysterious caverns-mountains rear
To heaven their bald and blackened cliffs, and
bow
Their tall heads to the plain--new empires rise
Gathering the strength OF ho&ry centuries
And rush down like the Alpine avalanche
Startling the natons-end the very stars
Yon bright and burning blazonry OF God,
Glitter awhile In their eternal depths.
Asf9i IKE the Tsaiad. f1@sifesss ssf their srYFH;
Sheet from their Eicricus spheres. and p.ss
away
To darkle in the trsckesa Yod-yet. time
Time, the tomb builder. holds his fierce career
Dark. stern, all-pitiiess, and pauses not
Amid the mighty wrecks that strew his path,
To sit and muse, like other conquerors,
Upon the fearful ruin he has wrought