Poems of Passion — 21 - Time and love

TIME AND LOVE.

Time flies.

The swift hours hurry by And speed us on to untried ways;

New seasons ripen, perish, die, And yet love stays.

The old, old love--like sweet, at first, At last like bitter wine-- I know not if it blest or curst Thy life and mine.

Time flies.

In vain our prayers, our tears!

We cannot tempt him to delays;

Down to the past he bears the years, And yet love stays.

Through changing task and varying dream We hear the same refrain, As one can hear a plaintive theme Run through each strain.

Time flies.

He steals our pulsing youth;

He robs us of our care-free days;

He takes away our trust and truth: And yet love stays.

O Time!

take love!

When love is vain, When all its best joys die-- When only its regrets remain-- Let love, too, fly.

[Illustration: TIME AND LOVE]