Youth and Age

Verse, a breeze mid blossoms straying,
Where Hope clung feeding, like a bee—
Both were mine! Life went a ______
   With Nature, Hope, and Poesy,
                       When I ______ young!

When I was young?—Ah, woful when!
Ah! ______ the change 'twixt Now and Then!
This breathing house ______ built with hands,
This body that does me grievous wrong,
O'er aery cliffs and glittering sands,
How lightly then ______ flashed along:—
Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore,
______ winding lakes and rivers wide,
That ask no aid ______ sail or oar,
That fear no spite of wind ______ tide!
Nought cared this body for wind or weather
______ Youth and I liv'd in't together.
Flowers are lovely; ______ is flower-like;
Friendship is a sheltering tree;
O! the joys, that came down shower-like,
Of Friendship, Love, and Liberty,
                       Ere I was old.

Ere I was old? Ah ______ Ere,
Which tells me, Youth's no longer here!
O Youth! for years so many and sweet
'Tis known, that ______ and I were one,
I'll think it but a ______ conceit—
It cannot be, that Thou art gone!
Thy vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:—
And thou wert aye a ______ bold!
What strange disguise hast now put on,
To ______ believe, that Thou art gone?
I see these locks ______ silvery slips,
This drooping gait, this altered size:
But ______ blossoms on thy lips,
And tears take sunshine from ______ eyes!
Life is but thought: so think I will
______ Youth and I are house-mates still.

Dew-drops are the ______ of morning,
But the tears of mournful eve!
Where ______ hope is, life's a warning
That only serves to ______ us grieve,
                       When we are old:

That only ______ to make us grieve
With oft and tedious taking-leave,
______ some poor nigh-related guest,
That may not rudely be dismist.
Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while,
And tells the ______ without the smile.

Like Love On That Thou When fond for gems in it jest make make masker maying no not of or serves springtide thine was woful