I Stood on a Tower

I stood on a tower in the wet,
And New Year and Old Year met,
And winds were roaring and blowing,
And I said, ‘O years, that meet in tears,
Have you all that is worth the knowing?
Science enough and exploring,
Wanderers coming and going,
Matters enough for deploring,
But aught that is worth the knowing?’
Seas at my feet were flowing,
Waves on the shingle poring,
Old year roaring and blowing,
And New Year blowing and roaring.

by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

I read this poem on December 31st 2012 the morning after the (late evening/early morning) I had written my own poem ‘Almost New Year’s Eve’. Tennyson wrote the above poem in 1865. Looks like we were both experiencing similar turn-of-the-year weather. But he was by the sea, lucky man.