Classic Poem

Thou canst unbind by potency unique,
The tangled skein of misty souvenirs,
And bring again, defiant of dull years,
The mantling pulse of youth unto the cheek.

Urged by thy warmth, the fancy loves to seek
The roses of a past that disappears,
And by some recollection that endears,
Once more, in charm, forgotten words to speak.

The sunlight of the past will then return,
Warming the soul; and I, O blessed boon
And resurrection of the things that fade,
Recall the happy days for which all yearn,
When first I heard on Venice's lagoon,
The soft adagio of a serenade!