WE ARE OF THAT UNSTABLE FORM,THAT LIVES THEN DIES FOR WHAT, WE ASK?

THEN KNOW OURSELVES AS NOT WE ARE,

FOR WE ARE YET NOT BORN TO LAST.

 

OUR PAIN IS IN OUR BRIEF RECESS,

FROM NOTHINGNESS TO JOYS EXCESS,

AND THUS WE ARE IN ALL OUR WAYS,

IN FEAR FOR MERE SHORT NUMBERED DAYS.

 

YET WOULD WE BE ETERNAL THUS,

AND CAPTURE ALL OF LIFE IN US,

AND LIVE IN TRUST FROM DAY TO DAY,

NOT DOUBTING WHETHER WE MAY STAY.

 

KNOWING THIS OUR HOPES ARE CAUGHT,

OUR PRESENT DEATHS ARE NOT FOR NAUGHT,

BECAUSE OUR WILL IS FOR THE OUGHT,

AND DEATH WILL DIE AND WE WILL NOT.

 

IT IS OUR FORM AND NOT OUR WILL,

THAT MAKES OUR TIME SO SHORT, YET STILL,

WE MOVE TO MAKE OUR FORM GIVE WAY,

TO CHANGE OUR TIME TO ENDLESS DAY.

 

AND WE GO ON ...

 

J W