Time And Love.

        Time flies. The swift hours hurry by
    And speed us on to untried ways;
        New seasons ripen, perish, die,
    And yet love stays.
        The old, old love - like sweet, at first,
    At last like bitter wine -
        I know not if it blest or curst
    Thy life and mine.

        Time flies. In vain our prayers, our tears!
    We cannot tempt him to delays;
        Down to the past he bears the years,
    And yet love stays.
        Through changing task and varying dream
    We hear the same refrain,
        As one can hear a plaintive theme
    Run through each strain.

        Time flies. He steals our pulsing youth;
    He robs us of our care-free days;
        He takes away our trust and truth:
    And yet love stays.
        O Time! take love! When love is vain,
    When all its best joys die -
        When only its regrets remain -
    Let love, too, fly.