As Fall The Leaves

As fall the leaves, so drop the days

  In silence from the tree of life;

Born for a little while to blaze

  In action in the heat of strife,

And then to shrivel with Time's blast

And fade forever in the past.

In beauty once the leaf was seen;

  To all it offered gentle shade;

Men knew the splendor of its green

  That cheered them so, would quickly fade:

And quickly, too, must pass away

All that is splendid of to-day.

To try to keep the leaves were vain:

  Men understand that they must fall;

Why should they bitterly complain

  When sorrows come to one and all?

Why should they mourn the passing day

That must depart along the way?