I Remember, I Remember. Thomas Hood (1799-1845). May 23. James and Mary Ford, eds. 1902. Every Day in the Year: A Poetical Epitome of the World's History

James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902.

May 23

I Remember, I Remember

By Thomas Hood (1799–1845)

Thomas Hood was born on May 23, 1798.

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,	5
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,	10
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 birth-day,—	15
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;	20
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	25
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.	30
To know I’m farther off from heaven
Than when I was a boy.