STAY yet a little longer in the sky, O golden color of the evening sun! Let not the sweet day in its sweetness die, While my day's work is only just begun. Counting the happy chances strewn about Thick as the leaves, and saying which was best, The rosy lights of morning all went out, And it was burning noon, and time to rest. Then leaning low upon a piece of shade, Fringed round with violets and pansies sweet, My heart and I, I said, will be delayed, And plan our work while cools the sultry heat. Deep in the hills, and out of silence vast, A waterfall played up his silver tune; My plans lost purpose, fell to dreams at last, And held me late into the afternoon. But when the idle pleasure ceased to please, And I awoke, and not a plan was planned, Just as a drowning man at what he sees Catches for life, I caught the thing at hand. And so life's little work-day hour has all Been spent and misspent doing what I could, And in regrets and efforts to recall The chance of having, being, what I would. And so sometimes I cannot choose but cry, Seeing my late-sown flowers are hardly set -- O darkening color of the evening sky, Spare me the day a little longer yet! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HIGH TIDE AT [OR, ON THE COAST OF] LINCOLNSHIRE by JEAN INGELOW IDYLLS OF THE KING: THE LAST TOURNAMENT by ALFRED TENNYSON PRAYER OF THE LOST by ALETHEA TODD ALDERSON MAPLE LEAVES by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE KNOCK by ABBIE FARWELL BROWN BARBARA IN THE MEADOW by ALICE CARY THE CANTERBURY TALES: THE CLERK'S PROLOGUE by GEOFFREY CHAUCER THE CANTERBURY TALES: THE FRIAR'S TALE by GEOFFREY CHAUCER PINDARIC ODE: TO THE UNVERSITY LIBRARY AT OXFORD by ABRAHAM COWLEY |