Classic Poem

Esther, as the dark December
Evening shadows fill the room,
And the rhymes that I remember
Fill me with a pleasant gloom;
As the sudden tear and saline
Courses down the sallow cheek,
And the Hudson River Day Line
Boats no longer sail the creek;

As the triply stellar final
Of the vespertinal sheet
Comes, now soon the hour to dine'll
Trail along with tardy feet!
And I feel that into slumber
It were sadly sweet to sink,
And on things I cannot number
Unrelatedly I think.

Is my musing sad, I mutter;
Is my dreaming gay, I sing;
As the darkness grows so utter
That I cannot see a thing.
Easy, Esther, to go right on
In the dark December murk,
But I think I'll switch the light on
And get down to serious work.