Historical Poem
THE OLD AND THE NEW
By Lydia Wood Baldwin
Good Housekeeping, December 6, 1890. p. 370.
"Ah, my life is sweet," moaned the gray Old Year,
"And fleeting as the sere and yellow leaf."
"Hail! I come to reign," cried the bright New Year,
"And all the years do find dominion brief."
"Who art thou?" coldly queried the Old Year,
"Usurper! upstart! dressed in vestments fine?"
"Keep thy temper, brother!" laughed the New Year,
"For ancient styles are somewhat past their prime."
"You've dethroned me!" crossly said the Old Year.
"My broken sceptre in the dust may stay."
"We'll put it by," slyly laughed the New Year,
"To rest (and rust), momento of thy day!"
"My heart is broken!" sighed the Old Year,
"Memories rise to taunt me, bitter, sad."
"Nay! they offer dole," whispered the New Year,
"While I with joys arise full-sized and glad."
Toll the bells, mournfully, for the Old Year;
Snows, gently bequeath him a pall!
Glad chimes ring merrily for the New Year,
Which smiles a fresh hope for us all!"
A Christmas Wish
Victorian Winter Poetry for Christmas and New Year's
Maintaining this website (which you are enjoying for free!) takes a lot of time and resources.
Please show your support for all our hard work by telling your friends about Sarah's books —and by buying them yourself, too, of course!
Tales of Chetzemoka
A Rapping At The Door:
A Victorian Cycling Club Suspense Story
(Fiction)
***
https://www.facebook.com/ThisVictorianLife
Search this website:
***