HIS golden locks Time hath to silver turn'd;
O Time too swift, O swiftness never ceasing!
His youth 'gainst time and age hath ever spurn'd,
But spurn'd in vain; youth waneth by increasing:
Beauty, strength, youth, are flowers but fading seen;
Duty, faith, love, are roots, and ever green.
His helmet now shall make a hive for bees;
And, lovers' sonnets turn'd to holy psalms,
A man-at-arms must now serve on his knees,
And feed on prayers, which are Age his alms:
But though from court to cottage he depart,
His Saint is sure of his unspotted heart.
And when he saddest sits in homely cell,
He'll teach his swains this carol for a song,--
'Blest be the hearts that wish my sovereign well,
Curst be the souls that think her any wrong.'
Goddess, allow this aged man his right
To be your beadsman now that was your knight.
It's a beautiful poem, isn't it? And btully set by John Dowland. There's some evidence that it (and Dowland's musical setting) were written on the retirement from the aeliahan court of Sir Henry Lee
I first saw these lines as a youth in a garden at the University of Georgia. “Beauty, strength, youth” flew by so quickly, but there are no regrets because “Duty, faith, love” are far more valuable than those fleeting moments that seemed real but weren’t capable of lasting forever.
I have a vision to write like this, only if god would bless me enough to.aio
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Ots very Interesting 🤔 and Deep in understandings😘