Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The Old Year



The Old Year
By John Clare

 The Old Year’s gone away
     To nothingness and night:
We cannot find him all the day
     Nor hear him in the night:
He left no footstep, mark or place
     In either shade or sun:
The last year he’d a neighbour’s face,
     In this he’s known by none.

All nothing everywhere:
     Mists we on mornings see
Have more of substance when they’re here
     And more of form than he.
He was a friend by every fire,
     In every cot and hall--
A guest to every heart’s desire,
     And now he’s nought at all.

Old papers thrown away,
     Old garments cast aside,
The talk of yesterday,
     Are things identified;
But time once torn away
     No voices can recall:
The eve of New Year’s Day
     Left the Old Year lost to all.

The year of our Lord two-thousand fourteen is almost over.  I will not say that it has been an exceedingly good year, nor an exceedingly had year.  It's just been another year.  I will reflect more on 2014 in my post tomorrow, but for now, let's hope for a prosperous and healthy 2015 to friends, family, and my readers.


2 comments:

Michael Dodd said...

Neither illustration looks like an old year ... but perhaps they are a reminder that certain things are passing away at every moment while other things, invisible to our eyes, endure forever.

JiEL said...

As some say:" Youth is a illness which we get cured quite fast.."

2014 is almost finished and we hope 2015 to be more filled with PEACE, LOVE and good health for all human beings..

All my best wishes to you and all your relatives.

Jean-Luc, Montreal, Canada