The Other Side of the Coin

  Every streak of light with it
And every moment gay,
  Brings a piece of darkness concealed
To which earth and heaven sway.

  Strange it is to say--on the Creator's lap
Both truth and fraud wailed,
  Stranger it is to say that
Darkness never prevailed.

  As often as you will kneel before God
And both your hands join,
  Erebus will creep on you from behind--
That's the other side of the coin.

The term gay here refers to the original feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy".