Classic Poem

Of late stood Time amid the scenes of life,
With hoary locks and beard of silvery grey,
And furrows deep upon his sage-like brow.
Beside him was a dial of huge size,
Whereby he shewed the minutes as they grew
To hours, and days, and years in silent haste.
He was in wistful mood, and, while I saw,
Did point his finger to the midnight hour.
'Twas in a dream this wondrous scene appeared,
Or in that stupor which is known between
The rule of sleep and wake, when neither claim
The power of holding a supreme command,
Which may be call'd half slumber and half wake.
Morpheus had drawn his stilly presence nigh,
And hush'd all things into a calm profound.
A thousand wondrous thoughts upon my mind,
In order unaccounted, had gone by.
Then as they passed a striking vision came;
'Twas bright and lucent as the early dawn,
Which pays obeisance to a smiling morn.
The stage of life was there before me set;
The curtain rose, and on it I beheld
A maiden fair, the foremost in the act.
Her mien was noble, and she held erect
A form which was in Beauty's garb arrayed.
Her eye was sparkling as the morning dew,
And full of language--full that it o'erflowed.
Her teeth were white and pure as Winter snow;
I saw them peer between her cherry lips,
As these were moving in a gracious smile,
Which traced her features like a silvery stream,
And ran from view adown her dove-like neck.
Her cheek was blooming as a new-blown rose;
A modest flush came o'er it as she stood.
Her voice was sweet like music on the air,
Thrown from a harp touched by a fairy sprite;
And in her look a happy tranquil dwelt.
Bound with the crown of virtue which she wore
Upon her brow (a diadem of gems)
Were the sweet flowers of purity, which gave
A charm more sweet than all the rest to see.
In short, she was perfection's perfect choice,
And Beauty's fairest child of all the group
Of Eve's unnumbered daughters, who abide,
Or have abode, amid these mingled scenes.
'Twas now the season of her noonday prime,
Wherein she might have gloried if she would;
But the calm spirit which within her moved
Would not allow like vanities to rise.
Amid the lucent streams of mellow light,
Which showered its fullest softness down on her,
She stood--the beauteous maiden stood adored.
To see the gay perfection of her charms
Came wonder, peering forth; for he was lured
With an intense delight to see a form
Clothed and adorned in such simplicity,
Yet of unbounded elegance the while.
And far her fame had spread throughout the land.
Then soon from town and city numbers came,
And from the quiet of their country homes,
To cast their admiration at her feet;
For they had longed with their own eyes to see
Her nymph-like form, and with their ears to hear
The music of her voice, and for themselves
To read the language of her sparkling eye.
And many sought to win her as his own;
And to her shrine they brought rich offerings all,
Each of the best and choicest of his stores.
And she beheld the riches which they brought,
And heard the words of flattery which they bore,
And marked the attentions lavished unto her,
But gave no heed to these, and deemed them all
As idle and deluding vanities;
For she beheld they sought the outward charms,
But minded not the treasures of the heart,
Which are more precious than all other gain.
So she did make, in firm yet kindly words,
An answer of refusal unto each,
And held her from them in discreet reserve.
Erewhile another came, whom she beheld
Sought more the secret worth than outward charms,
And that he was in every purpose fair,
And just and honorable, true and good,
And that he brought no dazzling gifts to tempt
Her with, that he might win her heart and hand.
And he in silent heed did note awhile
Her nature and the ordering of her ways,
And was much pleased to see them ordered well,
And that the beauties of a virtuous mind
Were not extinguished by her outward charms,
As is, alas! the case too frequently.
Then from this admiration yet awhile
Did rise a love fair and reciprocal;
And in due course he sought her heart and hand,
And she did yield them gladly unto him.
Thus they were in the bonds of wedlock joined,
To mete the measure of their lives in one;
And in their home was harmony and peace,
And in all things they were together true.
Time stood, and from his hand the hours, and days,
Anon, and years dealt listlessly away;
And, ere a while, she merged on ripened years,
With many honors rising from her path,
Had sons and daughters, and had trained them well,
As it is fitting that a mother should,
And had her mission filled in every way.
Then was her act concluded, and she left
The scenes of life and all the changes there,
And came in gladness to a higher realm,
And there abode together with the just,
Who to their Maker give the glory due,
And who in the affairs of life forget
Not to ascribe Him praise and worship most.
The curtain fell, and, lo! a clear, strange voice
Broke from the hidden scenes, declaring thus,
And with the words a thrilling power was borne,
That every passer in amazement turned:
"Blessed are they who walk in virtue's way!
A maid of virtue is a precious gem,
More priceless than the pearl of many seas.
Her mind is pure as snow which Winter breathes,
White and unspotted with the stains of time.
Her memory is like the gorgeous sun,
Which hath gone down behind the distant hills,
Yet sends a stream of glory from its seat
Upon the firmament where once it rode,
Diffusing there a sweet and golden light.
So shall the recollections of her shine
Upon the hearts of men, who in her time
Did know her worth and the fair fruits thereof."
Scarce had these words been uttered, when again.
The curtain rose, which hid the stage of life;
And, lo! I saw the like fair scenes were there,
Which in the former act had been displayed;
But she who stood the foremost in the act
Was other maiden, yet as sweet and fair.
Her every limb of beauty was adorned,
And in her face did winning brightness shine.
A manner gay she had, which unto men
Was sweet and charmful, that whoe'er beheld
Was at the sight of thrilling rapture filled;
And all her mirth was gay and ever full,
And all her laughter fraught of dancing fun.
A roguish eye she had, from which went forth
Glances askance, to plunder, as they wot,
From simple hearts, which could not turn away
The wily darts which she cast unto them.
Her cheek was bright, and of a rosy hue,
And wondrous was the fashion of her lips,
And they did seem to speak soft tales of love
In every motion which pervaded them.
Which turned to rapture all who gazed thereon,
So deep the passion which they pouted forth.
Her locks were golden, and with braids entwined
In such a magic manner, and they waved
Upon the breezes in a sportive way.
Her raiment was of Fashion's last design,
And so arranged to shew her perfect form
In all the fine proportions it displayed.
Her soft white arms were bared unto the view,
And scarce she needed other charm to hold,
Than did the vesture sideward drawn reveal
Of beauty lying in a tranquil sleep
Upon a pillow of the sweetest form.
And she was proud of graces like to these;
And sadly well she did her beauty know.
Forth from the ranks of town and city came
A host of pert admirers, to gaze
Upon her sweet and all-bewitching charms,
And cull a little frolic from her hand.
And she was free and open unto all,
And held to each full gaiety and wit,
And on her manner kept no check at all,
And strove to seem more pleasing every hour,
And loved the admiration which they gave.
Time stood, and from his hand the hours, and days,
Anon, and years dealt listlessly away;
And one by one her charms were seen to go;
For every year, as it sped on its course,
Plucked from the flower of purity a leaf,
And from her beauty took the brightest gem,
Until all virtue had been torn away,
And beauty shorn of every single germ.
Thus was her ruin sealed, and day by day
She sank into more hopeless depths of sin,
And was more hardened unto evil ways.
Her form grew haggard and uncouth to see,
And in her eye a dark defiance frowned.
Her soul turned black unto its very core,
And was polluted as a mountain stream
Drugged with the fluid from a bloody war.
Her brow was stamped with hatred and revenge.
Woe and distraction, from these loathsome fonts,
Fierce as hell-torrents, burst upon her path;
And she did spurn repentance. And I saw
The Evil One from depths of darkness come;
And in her way he set a fearful pit,
And death appeared the entrance thereunto.
Then it was opened wider in her way;
I heard an awful shriek, and, lo! beheld
That she was swallowed in its boundless depths.
Thus was the act concluded, and again
The curtain fell upon the stage of life;
And all who saw it trembled at the scene,
And deathlike was the calm which stood around,
And every breath was held for very fear.
Then the same voice was heard again which spoke
Such words of wisdom in the former scene.
And now the curtain was again withdrawn,
And every form had vanished from the view,
Save he who spake and hoary-headed Time;
And Time still stood and dealt the hours away.
And over all a mighty change had come;
Old things had gone, and others held their place;
And he who was the speaker stood upright,
And was adorned with raiment pure and white.
He stood surrounded by a dazzling light;
More bright his presence was than gorgeous suns,
Whereas he had an eye of wondrous power.
Imposing was his presence to behold,
And these the words in stirring force he spake:
"Pause, all ye young, ye thoughtless ones who run
In wild delight among the gay-borne paths,
Which pleasure spreads enticingly around.
O youth deluded! dwell not in the thought
That they shall prosper for eternal years.
Truth is profound, and this more deep than all--
That beauty is but like a passing charm,
And youth a landmark by the way of Time--
A stage which soon his chariot rolls by,
And leaves in dark obscurity behind,
As it drives on to the eternal gates.
Then pause, and be not blinded by the show
Of such an idle vanity. Ye know
An end awaits the sojourn here below."
These were his warnings. Then methought I saw,
One on each hand, the two eternal gates;
Whereto he turned, and, opening one, disclosed
Realms of most wondrous beauty, and therein
Were beings of a loveliness untold;
And all around appeared to give them joy,
And in their midst dwelt unity and love,
And they were clothed in raiments purely grand,
With diadems of honor on their brows;
And sweet the music was which hovered round,
And this appeared an everlasting feast.
Then he did close, without a word or sign,
This gate, and to the other mutely went,
And, opening which, disclosed to the view
Such ghastly scenes of torture, and therein
Were creatures seething in eternal flame;
And loathsome was their presence to behold,
And woe and agony were ever in their midst,
And bitter were the strifes, in which they bore
An angry hate to other wretches doomed
Alike with them to welter in its toil.
These were the scenes. Then, mutely as before,
He closed the gate, and vanished from the view.
And every gazer stood in wonder bound,
Until upon the distance came the sound
Of chariots and horsemen; and, erewhile,
Came rolling up the chariots of Time
In quick succession; and I saw therein,
Beings conveyed to the eternal gates;
Some unto that o'er which these golden words
Were traced in figures ever bold and bright:
"Enter, ye blessed, to eternal joy;"
And others unto that o'er which I saw,
"Enter, ye cursed, to eternal doom."
Then fell the curtain on the scene, and, lo!
I woke from slumber, and it was a dream.