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Years Upon Years

 

About how many years ago?

A secret many years unseen.

 

Some spend years at the spring;

Many come and go: generations.

 

Lions, worn with length of years,

So many years of fights forgotten.

 

Yes, so many parti-coloured years,

When unruly youths may yet ripen.

 

Years have gathered grayly though:

Years, years ago when dreams lived.

 

Years grow and gather -- each a gem:

Sparks whose years are not yet come.

 

Grecian bards, two thousand years ago,

Did render lines of lullabies for infancy.

 

Braces of mimes performed in later years.

Fields left fallow some few years, will yield.

 

A fox, worn out with years, so weak, so poor;

For years it vainly saught the good light grass.

 

Years upon years, coarse as clouds that thicken:

Years of the modern -- years of the unperformed!

 

Yes, years rise and fall in darkness -- or in shadow.

Yet, dearest friend! Mulish years, how fast they fly!

 

Not long ago, it was too violent to live many years --

Then, thousands of boots smited women’s children.

 

Millions have labored for years -- without satisfaction;

Now, years after silent plights, the pleasing task is ours.