MORN, NOON, AND NIGHT.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 273, 4 June 1866, Page 3

MORN, NOON, AND NIGHT.

The child-like morn rose up and smiled, In guileless happy mirth ; Its cool grey garments undefilod, By any taint of earth. It shou:ed with the skylark's voice, As hill-side mists upcurled, Another day breaks, oh ! rejoice, Awake thou sleeping world. And such is childhood, free and glad, Because no stain of sin Has ever made the spirit sad, And all is pure n-ithin. One song-bird like the morning's lark, Its melody will make ; One rosy cloud will chase the dark, ' And bid the sun awake. Morn lengthens onward unto noon, The earth looks flushed and gay, As tho' 'twere grateful for the boon Of this unclouded day. By tuneful, rich, harmonious notes, The air is strangely stirred ; As nature's grandest anthem floats From breeze, and brook, and^bmL Such is youth's noon, its golden prime, Life has no sweeter hours, Than when to glad its summer-time Love brings its scented flowers. We call this perfect — but forget That life's calm early dawn ; The guileless morn in which regret And care were not, is gone. The sullied day hath veiled its robe Beneath night's friendly wings j Grim darkness covers half the globe, And hides the bird that sings. The requiem of the wearied day, For ever taken flight ; 9 One song-bird cheered the dawning gray, One song-bird glade the night. And when life's day draws near its close, And death's dark shadows fall ; When sufferings, sorrows, cares, and woes, The common lot of all — Have made us weary of the eajrth. May patient hopeful faith, Become the voice of holy mirthi . (Oka *»uT>»ti*>isali»_«rfjl«ftrt» St.***-:..—