SONG OF THE OLD SAFETY LAMP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 30 March 1904, Page 63

SONG OF THE OLD SAFETY LAMP.

Ws stand alone in tho Hall of Science, Where the hand of man like a god's has wrought, For his utmost need, each strange appliance In the ceaseless battle forever fought With th 3 subtle forces of Death, emergent; And stung to yjassion with Terror urgent His mind leapt forth with a life lesmgent To shape the things of immortal thought. We speak not of dawns noi if golden weather; Ours is a world that is- little seen. -- But we tell old' tales ss we stand together Of the ilireful ways where we once have been. • . n Wo have lest here- now and we talk witn

pauses Over the final effects and causes, And point betimes to our shattered gauzes, And tell of the ruin that these things mean. Yes, we old lamps, despoiled, give token Of our fight, where the demon in darkness slays ; We tell what never a tongue hath spoken — Of brave heaits wasting through days and d3js. We can tell what is meant by a man's devotion To <& stricken mate when the dire commotion Of rushing flame, like a roaring ocean, Hrs choked with horror the ruined ways.

"We have seen the look or. the sinking faces As Death louncli their hearts like a tide did creep ; And we've seen the men in the distant places Like children fanned by ths wings of Sleep, In the blackiiess of darkness there enfolden, ]STn more to their labours of life beholden: To wake no more in the mornings golden, Nor know the hearths where the stricken weep. We have served our day ; we have lessened sorrow ; We have done oui best, for our task was great ; But the thoughts unshaped of the coming

morrow Shall yet be fashioned to fight with Fate. Ano Science, strengthened with knowledge

sounder, Shall reach far cut from the past that bound hei ; And man, exploiting the deeps profounoer, Shall use a tyiant to fight with Fate. — Hubert Young.

Kaitangata, March, 1904,