Poem by Edward Lear

Imitation of The Olden Poets

Time is a taper waning fast!
Use it, man, well whilst it doth last:
Lest burning downwards it consume away,
Before thou hast commenced the labour of the day.

Time is a pardon of a goodly soil!
Plenty shall crown thine honest toil:
But if uncultivated, rankest weeds
Shall choke the efforts of the rising seeds.

Time is a leasehold of uncertain date!
Granted to thee by everlasting fate.
Neglect not thou, ere thy short term expire,
To save thy soul from ever-burning fire. 

1. There Was An Old Person Of Basing
2. He Lived at Dingle Bank
3. There Was An Old Man Of Jamaica
4. Cold Are The Crabs
5. There Was An Old Man Of Vienna

Print

1686 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version