To My Aging Friends + 

It is no winter night comes down + 

Upon our hearts, dear friends of old; + 

But a May evening, softly brown, + 

Whose wind is rather cold. + 

We are not, like yon sad-eyed West, + 

Phantoms that brood o’er Time’s dust-hoard, + 

We are like yon Moon⁠—in mourning drest, + 

But gazing on her lord. + 

Come nearer to the hearth, sweet friends, + 

Draw nigher, closer, hand and chair; + 

Ours is a love that never ends, + 

For God is dearest there! + 

We will not talk about the past, + 

We will not ponder ancient pain; + 

Those are but deep foundations cast + 

For peaks of soaring gain! + 

We, waiting Dead, will warm our bones + 

At our poor smouldering earthly fire; + 

And talk of wide-eyed living ones + 

Who have what we desire. + 

O Living, ye know what is death⁠— + 

We, by and by, shall know it too! + 

Humble, with bated, hoping breath, + 

We are coming fast to you! + 