Home Here, and Home in Heaven; With Other Poems

WHAT IS LIFE?

Oh what is life? A passing dream,
A vision, or a meteor gleam,
That still allures the wanderer on,
Till e’en he grasps-alas ‘tis gone, HHHH 101.1

O what is life? A fleeting day,
With glittering show of trappings gay;
But ere aware-the living light
Is waning into shades of night. HHHH 101.2

O what is life? A vale of tears,
A shadowy land of doubts and fears,
A strange array of light and shade,
Of hopes that die and joys that fade. HHHH 101.3

Oh what is life? A blooming flower,
That fades and withers in an hour;
A changing cloud that passes o’er-
A wave that sinks upon the shore. HHHH 101.4

Oh what is life? A phantom chase-
Swift is the running of the race;
Soon the desired goal is won,
The journey past-the labor done. HHHH 101.5

Oh what is life? A rapid stream,
That sparkles with a sunny beam;
With ceaseless rolling on ward, led
Down to the ocean’s mighty bed. HHHH 101.6

Oh what is life? A battle field,
Where right to wrong too oft must yield,
A fearful war of deadly strife,
A conflict dark-the field of life. HHHH 102.1

Oh what is life? A changing sea,
Now calm, unruffled it may be;
Now storm and tempest wildly rave,
Till sinks the bark beneath the wave. HHHH 102.2

Oh what is life? A rugged way,
With treach’rous paths that lead astray,
A way of care and toil and gloom,
A step into the silent tomb. HHHH 102.3

Oh what is life? A transient ray,
A moment of an endless day;
Oh happy he who, as it flies,
Improves the moment ere he dies. HHHH 102.4