The hour-glass

Alas! how swift the moments fly!
How flash the years along!
Scarce here, yet gone already by,
The burden of a song.
See childhood, youth, and manhood pass,
And age, with furrowed brow
Time was-Time shall be-drain the glass-
But where in Time is now?

Time is the measure but of change
No present hour is found
The past, the future, fill the range
Of Time's unceasing round.
Where, then is now? In realms above,
With God's atoning Lamb,
In regions of eternal love,
Where sits enthroned I AM.

Then pilgrim, let thy joys and tears
On Time no longer lean
But henceforth all thy hopes and fears
From earth's affections wean:
To God let votive accents rise
With truth, with virtue, live
So all the bliss that Time denies
Eternity shall give.