I'm Twenty-Two - I'm Twenty-Two - They Gaily Give Me Joy, As If I Should Be Glad To Hear That I Was Less A Boy. They Do Not Know How Carelessly Their Words Have Given Pain, To One Whose Heart Would Leap To Be A Happy Boy Again. I Had A Light And Careless Heart When This Brief Year Began, And Then I Pray'D That I Might Be A Grave And Perfect Man. The World Was Like A Blessed Dream Of Joyous Coming Years - I Did Not Know Its Manliness Was But To Wake In Tears. A Change Has On My Spirit Come, I Am Forever Sad; The Light Has All Departed Now My Early Feelings Had; I Used To Love The Morning Grey, The Twilight'S Quiet Deep, But Now Like Shadows On The Sea, Upon My Thoughts They Creep. And Love Was Like A Holy Star, When This Brief Year Was Young, And My Whole Worship Of The Sky On One Sweet Ray Was Flung; But Worldly Things Have Come Between, And Shut It From My Sight, And Though The Star Shines Purely Yet, I Mourn Its Hidden Light. And Fame! I Bent To It The Knee, And Bow'D To It My Brow, And It Is Like A Coal Upon My Living Spirit Now - But When I Pray'D For Burning Fire To Touch The Soul I Bow'D, I Did Not Know The Lightning Flash Would Come In Such A Cloud. Ye Give Me Joy! Is It Because Another Year Has Fled? - That I Am Farther From My Youth, And Nearer To The Dead? Is It Because My Cares Have Come? - My Happy Boyhood O'Er? - Because The Visions I Have Lov'D Will Visit Me No More? Oh, Tell Me Not That Ye Are Glad! I Cannot Smile It Back; I've Found No Flower, And Seen No Light On Manhood'S Weary Track. My Love Is Deep - Ambition Deep - And Heart And Mind Will On - But Love Is Fainting By The Way, And Fame Consumes Ere Won.