November's Cadence / James Carnegie

November's Cadence

The bees about the Linden-tree,
When blithely summer blooms were springing,
Would hum a heartsome melody,
The simple baby-soul of singing;
And thus my spirit sang to me    
When youth its wanton way was winging:
   “Be glad, be sad — thou hast the choice —
   But mingle music with thy voice.”

The linnets on the Linden-tree,
Among the leaves in autumn dying,
Are making gentle melody,
A mild, mysterious, mournful sighing;
And thus my spirit sings to me
While years are flying, flying, flying:
   “Be sad, be sad, thou hast no choice,
   But mourn with music in thy voice.”

~~
James Carnegie, Earl of Southesk (1827-1905)
from The Burial of Isis, and other poems, 1884

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

James Carnegie, Earl of Southesk biography