New Year's Morning
Helen Hunt Jackson 1830 (Amherst, Massachusetts) – 1885 (San Francisco)
Only a night from old to new!
Only a night, and so much wrought!
The Old Year's heart all weary grew,
But said: The New Year rest has brought."
The Old Year's hopes its heart laid down,
As in a grave; but trusting, said:
"The blossoms of the New Year's crown
Bloom from the ashes of the dead."
The Old Year's heart was full of greed;
With selfishness it longed and ached,
And cried: "I have not half I need.
My thirst is bitter and unslaked.
But to the New Year's generous hand
All gifts in plenty shall return;
True love it shall understand;
By all y failures it shall learn.
I have been reckless; it shall be
Quiet and calm and pure of life.
I was a slave; it shall go free,
And find sweet pace where I leave strife."
Only a night from old to new!
Never a night such changes brought.
The Old Year had its work to do;
No New Year miracles are wrought.
Always a night from old to new!
Night and the healing balm of sleep!
Each morn is New Year's morn come true,
Morn of a festival to keep.
All nights are sacred nights to make
Confession and resolve and prayer;
All days are sacred days to wake
New gladness in the sunny air.
Only a night from old to new;
Only a sleep from night to morn.
The new is but the old coem true;
Each sunrise sees a new year born.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:17 min read
- 117 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | Ababcdcdexebfgfghihi Abab ajajklklAmam |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,265 |
Words | 255 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 20, 4, 12 |
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"New Year's Morning" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/17074/new-year's-morning>.
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