At dusk in my spacious garden I wandered to and fro, And heeded not above me The light on the Alpine snow; For the day had been filled with sorrow, With strenuous toil and care, And I dreaded the coming morrow, And wished myself elsewhere. Meantime in the street below me Two youths, in passing by, Had paused to inspect my garden, Their backs to the sunset sky. "How beautiful life must be there!" Said one to his wistful mate; "No sorrow, or care, or labor Can enter that gilded gate." I sadly smiled, and murmured: "Poor lad, if you only knew! The secret of true contentment Escapes both me and you; "You envy me my villa And what you deem my wealth; I envy you your freedom, Your youth and rugged health." Alas for human folly! When shall we understand That coveting joys we have not Means loss of the joy at hand? For while I sighed in my garden, And they in the street below, Unseen, from the snow-clad mountains Had vanished the sunset glow. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOVER IN HELL by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET MISSING THE BO IN THE HENHOUSE by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE LITANY OF THE DARK PEOPLE by COUNTEE CULLEN EVENTIDE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON MAGDALEN by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON DAT GAL O' MINE by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON CONSECRATED GROUND; READ AT THE NEW YORK CITY HALL by EDWIN MARKHAM |