Shadowy, dreamy phantoms ever rising
Up before wild Fancy's eyes,
With their untold and beauteous splendor,
Make us present things despise.

And procrastination whispers softly,
Wait a little longer yet;
Rashness will defeat your purpose, mortal,
And be cause of deep regret.

Wait with patience just a moment longer,
Then with safety clutch them fast-
Thus the spirit of delay beguiles us,
Till the lucky time is past.

Moments freighted deep with joy ecstatic
All unheeded pass away;
While we musing scan the misty future,
Hoping they will ever stay.

Bye and bye! may gaily point us forward,
Unto scenes with joy o'ercast-
Only mirage of Life's barren desert,
They are found to be at last.

Bye and bye! with all its artful scheming,
Though it may seem most sublime,
Wisdom horror-stricken spurneth from her,
Knowing only present time.

Reason tells us now's the time for action,
And this truth will ever last,
Written as it is throughout all nature,
On the pages of the Past.