Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ONLY ONE LIFE, by HORATIO (HORATIUS) BONAR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ONLY ONE LIFE, by                 Poet's Biography
First Line: Tis not for man to trifle: life is brief
Last Line: Hour after hour still bringing in new spoil.
Variant Title(s): Life
Subject(s): Life


'Tis not for man to trifle! Life is brief.
And sin is here.
Our age is but the falling of a leaf,
A dropping tear.
We have no time to sport away the hours;
All must be earnest in a world like ours.

Not many lives, but only one have we—
One, only one;
How sacred should that one life ever be—
That narrow span!
Day after day filled up with blessed toil,
Hour after hour still bringing in new spoil.





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