Sonnet Cccix: The Years Repeat Themselves; And Now, Once More,

The years repeat themselves; and now, once more, The day that gave my darling birth is here; How swift, alas! in what a mad career The rushing sands of happy days outpour! Stay, Time, a little! Let not life be o'er Ere we can taste its fulness--life so dear, So sweet to both!--from whom thou'st stolen a year, Who grudged thee every moment of thy score. Let this console us; though we plead in vain To stolid Time, that as his days go by, Love draws us closer, makes more clear our sky; Assures a future so secure and plain, That our exulting hearts, as one, may cry, Time, do thy worst! thy loss has been our gain.