Classic Poem

The autumn wind sighs mournfully,
The withered leaf falls flickering down;
The mateless bird churms woefully,
The earth is wrapt in faded brown,
While hearts bereaved of friends once dear,
Feel deep response in scenes so drear.

Sad sighs the wind for leaf and flower,
That erst had given it sweet perfume,
But yon tall tree in prime and power,
Laughs while he waves his leafless plume;—
“For withered leaf or flower, why mourn?
New leaves and flowers with spring return.”

Have come, have gone a hundred years,
The tall tree waxes old and hoar,
And falls to earth 'mid nature's tears,
The wind sighs sadly as of yore,
“Alas!” exclaims the dying tree,
“I dreamt of immortality.”

“Hush!” sighs the wind, “go, still thy grief,
From thine old stock young trees shall rise,
Thou'rt part of time like flower or leaf
That smiling buds, and weeping dies,
And couldst not hope when all decay,
That thou alone shouldst live for aye.”

Life springs from death with new-born power,
Though time and death record decay;
And though man, like the leaf and flower,
May pass from life and time away;
His thoughts survive, when he hath gone
Back to the great Eternal One!