For works with similar titles, see Life.
4499647Poems — LifeEliza Jane Stephens

LIFE.
We linger here a little time,
Amid these scenes that ever change,
But whether dark or whether bright,
There's always something new and strange.

And wo are ever changing too,
From when we Hist behold the light,
Until our mortal day Is done,
And we are borne beyond the night.

We all have had some blessed hope
That sometimes raised our spirits high,
And all have had depressing fears
Whose memory still brings a sigh.

And sometimes joy has been a guest
From which we hoped to ne'er part,
But sorrow came with awful power
To chill and crush the bravest heart.

We've all had friends whoso tireless love
Gave life its dearest, sweetest charm,
We've had our foes whoso only wish
Would seem to be of doing harm.

We've tasted pleasures, idle, vain,
And fleeting as the early flowers,
But pain came lasting and severe,
We wondered why so much was ours.

And darkest doubts will surely come,
And question of the life above,
But faun may triumph over all
And lead us to the laud of love.