POETRY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 435, 8 January 1890, Page 5

POETRY.

The Lessons of Life. Days of boyhood, golden days. When life flowed in joyous ways Like some rippling river, When the world seemed bathed in light, And to mine untutored sight Sunbeams glittered ever. Many were the joys ye brought. Many were the lessons taught, Gained from books or teachers; Whilst all nature to mine eyes, Full of hidden mysteries, Showed her fairest features. Soft as Memnon’s voice of old Were the stories that ye told, Whilst intent I listened, Heard their sweet, entrancing sound. Marked the glory that around In life’s springtide glistened. Days of manhood, grave and stern. Ye have tasks for us to learn, Which we too must master. Hard they are at times, and fraught With experience.dearly bought, Often with disaster As we face the daily strife Interwoven oft with life Which nor flags nor alters; Facing, blade in hand, the foe That confronts us as we go Till the sword arm falters. “ Trust thyself,” the lesson runs, Whatso’er the passing suns Bring thee night and morning. Self-reliant in life’s need. See nor foe nor friend thou heed. All assistance scorning. Trust thyself in woe or weal. Strength sufficient thou shalt feel For thy work’s achieving, Stronger growing, stronger yet, Failure and defeat forget, All their loss retrieving. Such the lesson manhood bears: If thou learn it joys and fears Pass, alike unh^rting; Heed it not. thy life shall be Eife with many a misery, Loss and trouble courting. Trust' thyself then, learn thy task, 1 Careless save each day to ask—- “ What is now my duty?”. 1 So shall life grow calm and bright, Lit'with gleams of fairest light. Radiant in their beauty.

E. H. Gulliver.