To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Rosebuds

Robert Herrick (1591-1674)


Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
    Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
    Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
    The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
    And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
    When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
    Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
    And while ye may, go marry;
For having lost but once your prime,
    You may forever tarry.



     Share   Tell a Friend

Back to Alysion's Short List of Must-Read Poetry



  • Visit our Zazzle store:

Fine poetry and art go together. Support this site: Visit our Zazzle store featuring ultra hi-res images of artworks, Hubble/ESA/NASA space images, Mandelbrot fractals, maps and more. Images up to 525 megapixels allow for fine printing at the largest sizes. Give a fine print as a gift that could hang around for a hundred years or more.






  • Back to: Poems to Memorize

Other sites by Alysion

Popular Sites:
Mindfulness Sites:

Thrival Sites:


Sustainability Issues:

Satirical Sites:

Literature/Poetry Sites:

Interesting Sites:




External Links

  • Poets.org
  • From the Academy of American Poets.





a link