--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Sanders, Ellen Lee collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 14 number: 7 published: 1911-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Ellen Lee Sanders, "Looking Back: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 14, no. 7 (May 1911): 591.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1407unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1407unse start_page: 591 end_page: 591 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1911-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1407unse publication_year: 1911 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1911, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Looking Back: A Poem HIEROGLYPHICS NEAR BENJAMIN, UTAH. 591 themselves fully acquainted with every phase of scenic beauty to be found in the vicinity of Benjamin, Utah county, Utah. I believe the location is worth preserving, and that the Utah Representative in Congress should have it placed under reservation for the benefit of posterity. Matthews, Indiana. Looking Back. (For the Improvement Era.) I walked adown the village street, so dear to youth's light heartIt nestles where the Wasatch hills in wide curves fall apart. I saw the sun, a golden ball, in splendor set again, Where that low line of barren hills cut off the Black Rock plain. As when a child I watched the clouds in soft, voluptuous fold, Their misty curtains slowly draw, of amber, rose and gold. Eastward, a snow-crowned kingly king, Mount Belnap's peaks are seen, His foot-hills rising row on row, with lines of darkening green. Lake Proffer in the monarch's arms, like heart of woman won, Surrounded by a thousand charms, lies hidden from the sun. I sought the spring by Jackson's place, across the Beaver bridge That spans that clear and tranquil stream, so near the southern ridge. And where we two had strolled, I passed, forgotten and alene; And by the spring beyond the bridge, paused by the arch of stone Where we two sat and watched the flow and softly bubbling sand— We knew not over life and hope, fate held relentless hand. And as night's shadows closed about, by longing sadness led, I sought thy lonely grave, and stood where you rest with the dead. Alas! how fleeting human lives! Down fell the bitter tears, And memory clasped our hands again, across the gulf of years. But morning light dispels the gloom, warm love hath dried my tears; Unbounded faith in God has laid the ghost of other years. Ellen Lee Sanders. Provo, U.ah