JACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 1934, 19 March 1891, Page 29

JACK.

Away with all worry, all longings to night, All present sentiments worn on the rack, Toss back Time's silver » oroll into the light ; Those days that were blazoned with freedom, and Jack. . Jaok just at you were, not as fancy pourfcrays, (Grave, learned, and thoughtful, and fearfully wlie) But touching on realness,— the Jack of those day*, A consummate vision of bliss to the eyes la the shadows that play in your office to-night, Sleeps not there a dream vision death will resign ? A stretch of wild landscape, of ocean, and height ? Yet the actual belief in the friend of that time. That time Jack, when one scale would suit our ideas, When the problems leaned moie to your notions than mine. With the sense of the butter-scotoh waning between us. Gilding life with a realnets ne'er felt in these times. When the future conoealed suoh anomalous glories As only the breath of those days would inspire, And music lay d r eaming in nature, worn hoarr, Refuting in echo earth's frail infant ljre. When our desk, Jack (ah I me, what email beings now fill it 1) B Hrtld a multitudinous assortment of joys, String, marbles, tops, Bliot, Longfellow, and liquorice, With sterner maxims to firm the alloy. Then heaven seemed nearar, earth slipped from her floor. An Eden of golden flushed mysteries lay. To live then was life, warm life to the oore, And the day at the creek was our auspicious day. Turn the light lower, yes now it Is Jack, Wild, misohievous, gentle, when love turns the key. The same that freed often this hand from the strap, And manoeuvred for honey and plooes, for me. Versus, our pass word, has slumbered so long, Its awakening throws back tides of sllverlne spray, That beneath the cold light, added years have now formed, Fades away in their measures of pearl and grey. — MUTA. Msroh 13. ~>