23 I Remember, I Remember

I Remember, I Remember

by Thomas Hood

I remember, I remember,

  The house where I was born,

The little window where the sun

  Came peeping in at morn;

He never came a wink too soon,

  Nor brought too long a day,

But now, I often wish the night 

  Had borne my breath away.

I remember, I remember,

  The roses, red and white;

The violets, and the lily --  cups,

  Those flowers made of light!

The lilacs where the robin built,

  And where my brother set

The laburnum on his birthday--

  The tree is living yet!

I remember, I remember,

  Where I was used to swing;

And thought the air must rush as fresh

  To swallows on the wing:

My spirit flew in feathers then,

  That is so heavy now,

And summer pools could hardly cool

  The fever on my brow!

I remember, I remember, 

  The fir trees dark and high;

I used to think their slender tops

  Were close against the sky;

It was a childish ignorance,

  But now 'tis little joy 

To know I'm farther off from Heav'n

  Than when I was a boy.