TWO SO NNETS: Written New Year's Eve, 1898.
I sat beside my door when sunset came ; An errant wind brought up the river's song In fitful modulations, and », throng Of cloudlets sailed o'erhead of gold and flame. One faiiy bark glowed brightest there, whose name I thought,— 'twas like— was England ; all along Her shores there brake the golden sea, and strong On her way she held in splendid fame. I looked again, and lo ! my land was gone J The river sang the same song to the sky : An hundred gleaming isles, which yet outshone The flamed form they fashioned from, saw I. 1 watched them steer behind the peak, and oa The wind I heard the river's song go by. 11. The day so long foreshadowed is not yet When all the heart of man shall sing to Right, And wrong shall have no longer power of Might To darken Heaven and hideous forms beget : Yet we do know that soon the sun shall set On a long, dreary past, and, rising, light A constant way from man to God : we fight Thus hopefully till we by Death be met. It is our privilege that we are born
Old Britain's latest sons ; our heritage Our fathers had ; the blood which held in scorn
Ill's direst threats is ours ; and we engage To free our sons from pain ; nor may we mourn For what is gone, — there comes a nobler age. Cromwell, May 31. — C 4. L. T.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18980609.2.188
Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 41
Word Count
249TWO SONNETS: Written New Year's Eve, 1898. Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 41
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in