How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, Stol'n on his wing my three and twentieth year! My hasting days fly on with full career, By my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, That I to manhood am arriv'd so near, And inward ripeness doth much less appear, That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th. Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow, It shall be still in strictest measure ev'n, To that same lot, however mean, or high, Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav'n; All is, if I have grace to use it so, As ever in my great Task-Master's eye. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RIDDLERS by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE THE WATCH OF A SWAN by SARAH MORGAN BRYAN PIATT LONDON, 1802 (1) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH SONGS OF THE SEA CHILDREN: 110 by BLISS CARMAN TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 3. INTO THE REGIONS OF THE SUN by EDWARD CARPENTER |