Come sit beside my fire, old friend,

And revel in its glow---

We'll watch the shadows on the screen,

And dream of long ago...

We'll talk of things of bygone days,

That seldom come to mind,--

Old times, old scenes,almost forgot,

And leave the world behind!


And while we sit beside my fire

And sniff the pungent oak---

We'll stoke our pipes with fragrant leaf,

And watch the curling smoke.

We'll know a precious, fleeting hour

Which lends a sweet release

From things that tend to sear and scar---

And in their stead---find Peace!


We'll toss aside the faded years---

We'll both be boys, , again---

Forgetting all the serious things

That haunt the realm of men.

We'll romp and play as boys must do,

('Though foolish it may be)

And roam the once-familiar path;

We two---just you and me!


Ah, there's the dusty,winding road;

The old church on the hill---

The village store,the covered bridge, the creek---

The farm-house and the mill---


And nestled low amidst the trees

With sunbeams darting through,

And shadows playing hide and seek---

The school-house that we knew!


But look! It's fading swiftly now---

There's but an ember glow---

Our fire-side hour of dreams is done;

Our fire is burning low---

But then, 'tis something rare and fine,

Of which I never tire...

A trip into the Long Ago,

With a friend---beside my fire!
..................................................

Does anyone know who wrote this poem???