In Life’s Gay Dawn

In life’s gay dawn

when spright­ly youth

With vi­tal ar­dor glows

And shines in all the fair­est charms

Which beau­ty can dis­close;

Deep on thy soul

be­fore its pow­ers

Are yet by vice en­slaved

By thy cre­at­or’s pre­cious name

And char­ac­ter en­graved.

For soon the shades of grief shall cloud

The sun­shine of thy days

And cares and ills

in end­less round

Encompass all thy ways.

Soon shall thy heart the woes of age

In mourn­ful sighs de­plore

And sad­ly muse on for­mer joys

That now re­turn no more.