Fifty Years

Fifty years of wedded life,

Fifty years as husband and wife,

Fifty years of toil and strife,

     On life’s uncertain way;

Fifty years of strain and noise,

Fifty years of woes and joys,

Fifty years of troublesome boys,

     Enough to make them gray.

When we think of all the woes,

Uncombed hair and ragged clothes,

Dingy hands and injured toes,

     And other loads to bear;

Then we wonder, truth to tell,

How they’ve stood the strain so well,

Why they haven’t early fell,

     ‘Neath such a load of care!

Fifty years! How good it seems,

To know the sun of life still gleams,

And sinks us into golden dreams,

     Of happy days of yore;

And though the way was rough the while,

Still there were pleasures to beguile,

And sunny days to bring a smile,

     To light the journey o’er.

And now who’d feel or breathe regret,

Because the sun of life would set,

More pleasures wait, they’re coming yet,

     A-near the golden shore;

When love and hope and faith are strong,

The human heart is full of song,

God grant their journey may be long,

     And bless them evermore!

Feb. 10, 1911

Written for the golden wedding anniversary of

Mr. & Mrs. John H. Cone, East Haddam, Conn.

                                              

                                                                                      (1912)