Sad Old Me

You say you never heard My prayers of last night? The night was cold and gray And your memory bold and gay My bed of straw was bare My linen- old and thin And I woke up many times. One time I sat on my straw When I turned my head- facing the echo It was only a dream, a poor dream With the plume of a cockscomb And the beauty of valleys and hills Gently bearing the sparkling waters Of the dreamland streams. One time I called your name And waited for my dream pet And when the door opened My heart opened too: Sharing the joys and pains Of a comfortless age Awaiting dusk in the morning. Since then countless years have passed And numerous trials have I passed Each a good deal worse than the other; But I could not impress on mother That high peaks have many precipices And while my love served under other auspices The same thoughts of grief came back And sad old me cannot stay the hour!