Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks br Sit together, building blocks; br Shuffle-Shoon is old and grey, br Amber-Locks a little child, br But together at their play br Age and Youth are reconciled, br And with sympathetic glee br Build their castles fair to see. br "When I grow to be a man" br (So the wee one's prattle ran), br "I shall build a castle so-- br With a gateway broad and grand; br Here a pretty vine shall grow, br There a soldier guard shall stand; br And the tower shall be so high, br Folks will wonder, by-and-by!" br Shuffle-Shoon quoth: "Yes, I know; br Thus I builded long ago! br Here a gate and there a wall, br Here a window, there a door; br Here a steeple wondrous tall br Riseth ever more and more! br But the years have levelled low br What I builded long ago!" br So they gossip at their play, br Heedless of the fleeting day; br One speaks of the Long Ago br Where his dead hopes buried lie; br One with chubby cheeks aglow br Prattleth of the By-and-By; br Side by side, they build their blocks-- br Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks.