We sat and talked of other days,—two old and wrinkled men,—
Beyond the dreams of boyish hours and all we fancied then,—
And as we talked our hearts grew warm, and down the noiseless night
We romped again with golden feet and hearts of pure delight.
II.
The dreams we dreamed when life was young and all the world was new
Came back again from vanished ways with raptures smiling through,
And all the high resolves of heart and all the deeds of hand
Returned equipped with robe and crown and showed the Promised Land!
III.
We sat and talked of other days,—the days that went away,—
Of child-hood's dreamy hours of joy and child-hood's heart of play;
And as we talked of other days, forgetting weal or woe,
The boys and girls came back again across the Long Ago.
IV.
We knew this life of men and things with all its griefs and glees
Is not a dream of pleasures sweet or lilt of lullabies;
And yet despite the shadows deep that o'er the sunshine fall,
'Tis always worth the living and its songs are all in all.
V.
We sat and talked of other days! O, days that died unfelt,
Where innocence was crowned with love and all the [virtues] dwelt;
And in our hearts we sadly knew, whate'er the sages say,
That Heaven romps with us no more since those days went away!