There's a land we knew in the days gone by,
And builded our castles there.
There are trails we trod in the dawning light,
With never a thought of care.
There were dreams we dreamed, there were plans we planned.
But lingered upon our way.
As we trod midst a halo of glory
The morning of yesterday.
For our hearts were light, and the way was bright,
What matter the day was long.
Cloudless years were ours, and the shady bowers
Re-echoed our blithesome song.
At the warning cry, as they passed us by,
We mocked, for our hearts were gay—
Solemn plodders who passed us at noontide,
The noontide of yesterday.
Did we linger long, ah, 'twas sweet to do
To-morrow, we said with pride.
For the way was steep, and we laid to sleep
And dream where the trails divide.
But the sun was low, as we rose to go,
And ah, it was cold and grey,
While the shadows of even were falling—
The evening of yesterday.
For the land of dreams is the long ago,
Where shadowy phantoms tread
Of a task undone and a prize unwon,
The gift that at noonday fled.
Though we turn again to its sunlit plain,
The glories are dimmed for aye,
And our castles are mingled with ashes.
The ashes of yesterday.