The New Year

THE NEW YEAR

Hail! winged Time, whose flight all fear,
Behold thy child, the new-born year!
An infant in its helpless stage.
Born to thee in thy hoary age.

Full many a child 's been born to thee
Since first thy flight o'er the ''shoreless sea,"
But soon they pass beyond thy view
And still thy ceaseless course pursue.

Thy child, in twelve months grown and old,
Will die amid the winter's cold;
Another then will come to know
Its parent grim in the ice and snow.

But none can stay thy age to cheer.
Or o'er thy grave can shed a tear -
How much of life they may desire.
They all must perish ere their sire

The years may come, the years may go,
While Time's unceasing stream will flow -

Each year brings 'round in order due,
The "process of the suns," to view.

The old year now has passed away,
Entombing millions in decay -
The New Year comes like a smiling morn
In which new millions will be born.

Thrice welcome art thou, glad young year.
Thou ever bringest hope and cheer.
Thy footsteps in the snow and sleet.
Come noiseless through the silent street.

Thy passage round this earthly ball
Comes 'mid the darkness over all.
One revolution must be made.
Ere thou canst rend the veil of shade.

And when thou gainst the morning light,
Thou 'It rest not in thy eager flight.
But ever onward in thy course
Till thou hast spent thy living force.

Our hopes spring upward at thy birth;
We feel thou 'st come to bless the earth.
For none before had power to bless
As thou canst now this wilderness.

Some weary ones thou 'It lay to rest,
But more with life by thee'll be blest,
And all who dwell upon the earth
Will realize thy priceless worth.

And when from earth thou must depart,
Thou'lt leave in every human heart
The grateful thanks that there abound
That earth is better than 'twas found.
December 29, 1883.