Classic Poem

The house is old, the house is cold,
And on the roof is snow;
And in and out and round about
The bitter night-winds blow:
The bitter night-winds howl and blow —
And darkness thickens deep, —
And oh, the minutes creep as slow
As though they were asleep!

It used to be all light and song,
And mirth and spirits gay —
The day could never prove too long;
The night seem'd like the day!
The night seem'd bright and light as day
Ere yet that house was old;
Ere yet its aged roof was gray,
Its inner chambers cold: —

Old visions haunt the creaking floors —
Old sorrows sit and wail; —
While still the night-winds out of doors
Like burly bailiffs rail!
Old visions haunt the floors above:
The walls with wrinkles frown;
And people say, who pass that way,
'Twere well the house were down.