Ephemeral Things Poem by Octavian Cocos

Youth is fleeting, man grows old
Like a flower in full bloom,
Which at nightfall, when it's cold
Withers quickly in the gloom.

Beauty is a pleasant mask,
Which now fills you with delight,
But one day, it will not ask
And will vanish out of sight.

Bliss is like delicious food,
But there's no one who can say
Why, when it's in playful mood,
Through your fingers slips away.

Love is wondrous, love is odd,
It's the game of life for two
Given by All Mighty God,
Who then takes it back, it's true.

Richness sometimes stays around
To the very day you die
You may live like a king crowned,
You may be a wealthy guy,

But, alas, this is the truth:
You can't buy an honest kiss,
Beauty, love, your years of youth
Or at least a drop of bliss.