Classic Poem

A Vision

In wondering dream, before my face
I saw a massive wall arise,
As old as time, as wide as space,
And high as are the star-strewn skies.

And while I marvelled what it meant,
And what lay on the other side,
I saw an age-worn arch that bent
Above a gateway opened wide.

And on the arch's front I read,
" Each traveller who enters here
Finds what he pleases, stones or bread;
I am the gateway of the year. "

An ancient man drew near me then,
And said: " Look through, and think and choose.
The past is past; but once again
You may accept or may refuse.

" Before you shall in vision pass
The new year's possibilities:
And you shall see as in a glass
The shapes of good and ill arise. "

I looked; and, lo! a battle-field
And burning homes and death and tears;
And all for glory that might yield
One man a throne above his peers.

This passed, and in its place there rushed
A motley, pleasure-seeking throng.
For passion's fruits they grasped and pushed,
Or filled the scene with dance and song.

And, next, a market-place upsprung,
And each man with his fellow strove
To gain and keep, with fist and tongue,
As if he'd never heard of love.

A change, and now a house appeared
In which peace dwelt, and every joy;
Duty and love together reared
A home all gold, with no alloy.

And, next, a poor, bare room, wherein
One sick I saw, and groans I heard;
But to the place of rags and sin
One came with cheer, and ministered.

This faded; and a childish group
Of squalid ignorance was seen,
And with them one who seemed to stoop
To teach them, and to make them clean.

And here was one who made a place
For selfish pleasure and delight:
And there was one who sought to trace
God's pathway of the true and right.

And, while I wondered and stood still,
The ancient man approached again,
And said: " O son, choose which you will,
To help or hurt your fellow-men.

" Fame, pleasure, money, — all are there;
And there, too, love and duty. Wait
Until their claims you can compare
Here at the threshold of the gate.

" And then, with firm foot and brave heart,
Fear not to enter the unknown;
For he who chose the nobler part
Ne'er entered on his task alone. "

I said, " I'll follow duty " ; and the word
Was hardly uttered in the air
When music everywhere I heard,
And beauty I saw everywhere.

And so I entered on the year.
And, though not always understood,
Both cloud and sunshine, hope and fear,
Were bidden to work all for good.