In the darkness of the woods,
Where ancient, solemn timber stood,
The shadows creep, the dreamers sleep,
And hidden hearts find cause to weep.
The moon hangs pale upon the hill,
The restless wind is never still.
A thousand leaves begin to shake,
As though the sleeping dead might wake.
We must stay, and we must go,
We must fight for what we know.
Days are long, and Time is strong,
The whistle sings its lonesome song.
The stars are scattered through the night,
Like shattered diamonds burning bright.
The heavens wear their robes of blue,
And whisper things we never knew.
An owl announces midnight’s reign,
The clouds assemble, threatening rain.
A silver stream, with trembling breath,
Runs through the wilderness of Death.
And every now and then we see
What waits beyond Eternity.
A distant light, a fading flame,
A silent voice that calls our name.
The eagle cries above the trees,
Its sorrow swallowed by the breeze.
The mountains hear its wild refrain,
Then give its lonely cry again.
The blades of grass, so frail and small,
Stand trembling where the shadows fall.
Yet every blade, though bent and bowed,
Declares a truth without a sound.
For Nature keeps a secret place
Where Time and Death stand face to face.
The flowers bloom, the flowers fade,
And sleep beneath the earth’s dark shade.
The rose, dressed in her crimson gown,
Will one day lay her petals down.
The oak that mocks the winter’s breath
Must someday bow its head to Death.
And Time, that strange and silent thief,
Steals summer’s joy and autumn’s leaf.
He walks the corridors of years,
Collecting laughter, gathering tears.
He strolls along through Memory Lane,
And brings us pleasure, brings us pain.
Old voices rise from yesterday,
Then vanish with the light of day.
The child who laughed beneath these trees
Has vanished into memories.
The footsteps of his younger years
Are washed away by time and tears.
What strange companions, Joy and Grief!
One brings the bloom, one takes the leaf.
They walk together, hand in hand,
Across this frail and fading land.
And Death, that patient gentleman,
Walks softly where the brook began.
He never hurries, never sleeps,
But silent appointments always keeps.
He waits beside the forest gate,
Indifferent to the hour or date.
No crown of gold, no earthly throne,
Can turn him back or stand alone.
So watch your footsteps, guard your way,
For none can purchase yesterday.
The golden hours will never stay,
And even mountains wear away.
When earthly friends have disappeared,
And all the things we loved and feared
Have faded like the evening dew,
One faithful Friend remains with you.
For He who formed your very soul
And paid Redemption’s dreadful toll
Has walked the valley, faced the grave,
And conquered Death His own to save.
The hands that hung the stars in space
Were pierced to offer saving grace.
The Voice that called the worlds to be
Once cried beneath a dying tree.
And there upon that rugged hill,
Where earth grew dark and winds stood still,
The Lord of Life embraced our night
And broke the ancient chains of fright.
The grave received Him, cold and deep,
While sorrow watched and mourners weep.
But Death had met a greater King,
And lost its ancient, bitter sting.
The stone was rolled, the morning came,
The heavens thundered forth His name.
The darkness fled, the shadows ceased,
And Hope arose where Death had feasted.
Now through the woods I walk once more,
Past fallen leaves and forest floor.
The same old whistle calls to me,
But something new my eyes can see.
The stars still shine, the eagles cry,
The winds still wander through the sky.
The grasses bow, the branches sway,
And mortal hours slip away.
Yet somewhere past the farthest star,
Beyond where mortal sorrows are,
There waits a morning without night,
A kingdom clothed in endless light.
And when my final evening falls,
And Death approaches, gently calls,
I’ll lift my eyes beyond the sod
And trust the promises of God.
For though the forest turns to dust,
And iron yields to age and rust,
Though Time should silence every song,
Eternal Life shall still be strong.
So let the lonely whistle blow,
Across the woods where shadows grow.
Let Time march on, let seasons fly,
Let fading stars forsake the sky.
For I have found, beyond the strife,
The One who is the Way, the Life.
And when my earthly journey ends,
My truest Life will just begin.
