Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SWIFTLY THE DAYS FLY PAST, by GIUSEPPE PARINI


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SWIFTLY THE DAYS FLY PAST, by                     Poet's Biography
Last Line: Unto our parting day
Subject(s): Friendship; Time; Transcience; Aging


Swiftly the days fly past
Of my beloved state,
Once on the downward slope
The years precipitate.

The Fair, alas, whose tongues
Are nimble in deceit.
This one unwelcome truth
Incessantly repeat;

And with a heedless glance
And with cold bearing: " Nay,
We are no more for thee,"
Clearly I hear them say.

They flock and flutter hence
To join youth's merry bands,
Loquaciously they ply
Their eyes, their feet and hands.

The remedy? Needs must
I bathe my lids in tears?
Far wiser 'twere to make
The best of these last years.

Of tender myrtles I
In Gnidus culled my share,
Let others now with Love
Unto those regions fare.

Let lovely ladies turn
White shoulders unto me,
O not with them the last
Of all my pleasures flee!

To Bacchus and good friends
My future days I vow;
Ivy, since myrtles fade,
Shall crown my hoary brow.

O harp, wherefore this string
That used to thrill to love?
In my new pleasure's praise
Discordant thou dost prove!

Now I delight to sing
Among my gay friends here,
The while I pour forth wine
And drink to their good cheer.

Let fickle Venus go,
Together with the flowers;
Thou, Lyaeus, dost console
Through the long winter hours!

With ardent youth 'tis meet
That love should pass away,
But friendship doth endure
Unto our parting day.





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