THERE comes an end to summer, To spring showers and hoar rime; His mumming to each mummer Has somewhere end in time, And since life ends and laughter, And leaves fall and tears dry, Who shall call love immortal, When all that is must die? Nay, sweet, let's leave unspoken The vows the fates gainsay, For all vows made are broken, We love but while we may. Let's kiss when kissing pleases, And part when kisses pall, Perchance, this time to-morrow, We shall not love at all. You ask my love completest, As strong next year as now, The devil take you, sweetest, Ere I make aught such vow. Life is a masque that changes, A fig for constancy! No love at all were better, Than love which is not free. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ECSTASY [EXTASIE] by JOHN DONNE THE LAY OF THE LABOURER by THOMAS HOOD CARRION COMFORT by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS A HYMN TO CONTENTMENT by THOMAS PARNELL ROCOCO by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE MEADOW-SAFFRON by GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE |