A Thousand Years Ago ~ A poem by Charles Godfrey Leyland

[Zephonith Serpent Woman]

Thou and I in spirit-land,
A thousand years ago,
Watched the waves beat on the strand,
Ceaseless ebb and flow;
Vowed to love and ever love--
A thousand years ago.

 

Thou and I in greenwood shade,
Nine hundred years ago,
Heard the wild dove in the glade
Murmuring soft and low;
Vowed to love for evermore,--

Nine hundred years ago.

 

Thou and I in yonder star,
Eight hundred years ago,
Saw strange forms of light afar
In wild beauty glow;
All things change, but love endures
Now as long ago!

 

Thou and I in Norman halls,
Seven hundred years ago,
Heard the warder on the walls
Loud his trumpet blow,--

'Ton amors sera tojors,'
Seven hundred years ago!

 

Thou and I in Germany,
Six hundred years ago--

Then I bound the red cross on:
'True love, I must go,

But we part to meet again
In the endless flow!'

 

Thou and I in Syrian plains,
Five hundred years ago,
Felt the wild fire in our veins
To a fever glow!
All things die, but love lives on
Now as long ago!

Thou and I in shadow-land,
Four hundred years ago,
Saw strange flowers bloom on the strand,
Heard strange breezes blow:
In the ideal love is real,
This alone I know.

Thou and I in Italy,
Three hundred years ago,
Lived in faith and died for God,
Felt the faggots glow:
Ever new and ever true,
Three hundred years ago.

 

Thou and I on southern seas,
Two hundred years ago,
Felt the perfumed even-breeze,
Spoke in Spanish by the trees,
Had no care or woe:
Life went dreamily in song
Two hundred years ago.

 

Thou and I mid Northern snows,
One hundred years ago,
Led an iron, silent life,
And were glad to flow
Onwards into changing death,
One hundred years ago.

Thou and I but yesterday
Met in Fashion's show,
Love, did you remember me,
Love of long ago?
Yes; we keep the fond oath sworn
A thousand years ago!

[Zephonith Serpent Woman]

Yes...so few of the really ancient trees left standing

There are some Olive Trees around which also testify to the immortality of the Spirit and which give lie to the concept of a finite life, despite all the odds

[Zephonith Serpent Woman]

Under the dappled shadows cast by these trees of old, 

the Ancestors dallied around and exchanged kisses

with maidens fair to behold :)

This Olive tree is around 4000 years old