Old and New Year Ditties

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h4><SPAN href="#113">OLD AND NEW YEAR DITTIES.</SPAN></h4> <h5>1.</h5> <p>New Year met me somewhat sad:<br/> Old Year leaves me tired,<br/> Stripped of favorite things I had,<br/> Balked of much desired:<br/> Yet farther on my road to-day,<br/> God willing, farther on my way.<br/> <br/> New Year coming on apace<br/> What have you to give me?<br/> Bring you scathe, or bring you grace,<br/> Face me with an honest face;<br/> You shall not deceive me:<br/> Be it good or ill, be it what you will,<br/> It needs shall help me on my road,<br/> My rugged way to heaven, please God.</p> <h5>2.</h5> <p>Watch with me, men, women, and children dear,<br/> You whom I love, for whom I hope and fear,<br/> Watch with me this last vigil of the year.<br/> Some hug their business, some their pleasure-scheme;<br/> Some seize the vacant hour to sleep or dream;<br/> Heart locked in heart some kneel and watch apart.<br/> <br/> Watch with me, blessed spirits, who delight<br/> All through the holy night to walk in white,<br/> Or take your ease after the long-drawn fight.<br/> I know not if they watch with me: I know<br/> They count this eve of resurrection slow,<br/> And cry, &quot;How long?&quot; with urgent utterance strong.<br/> <br/> Watch with me, Jesus, in my loneliness:<br/> Though others say me nay, yet say Thou yes;<br/> Though others pass me by, stop Thou to bless.<br/> Yea, Thou dost stop with me this vigil night;<br/> To-night of pain, to-morrow of delight:<br/> I, Love, am Thine; Thou, Lord, my God, art mine.</p> <h5>3.</h5> <p>Passing away, saith the World, passing away:<br/> Chances, beauty and youth sapped day by day:<br/> Thy life never continueth in one stay.<br/> Is the eye waxen dim, is the dark hair changing to gray<br/> That hath won neither laurel nor bay?<br/> I shall clothe myself in Spring and bud in May:<br/> Thou, root-stricken, shalt not rebuild thy decay<br/> On my bosom for aye.<br/> Then I answered: Yea.<br/> <br/> Passing away, saith my Soul, passing away:<br/> With its burden of fear and hope, of labor and play;<br/> Hearken what the past doth witness and say:<br/> Rust in thy gold, a moth is in thine array,<br/> A canker is in thy bud, thy leaf must decay.<br/> At midnight, at cock-crow, at morning, one certain day<br/> Lo, the Bridegroom shall come and shall not delay:<br/> Watch thou and pray.<br/> Then I answered: Yea.<br/> <br/> Passing away, saith my God, passing away:<br/> Winter passeth after the long delay:<br/> New grapes on the vine, new figs on the tender spray,<br/> Turtle calleth turtle in Heaven's May.<br/> Though I tarry, wait for Me, trust Me, watch and pray.<br/> Arise, come away, night is past, and lo it is day,<br/> My love, My sister, My spouse, thou shalt hear Me say.<br/> Then I answered: Yea.</p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />