Time's Rule

Time's Rule written by William Henry Davies

New Poems (1907)

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Time called me out of a dark room
In a green place to play;
He gave me flowers, fruits, and sweets,
I laughed all day.

I sang all day; I danced; I moved
With motion light and free:
Like th' little bird whose weight is scarce
More than a bee.

The sunny days made golden years,
Till Time told his fast rule:
'I send my happy children all
to a good-school.'

Then to Experience me he took,
The Master of Life's school;
Who snatched away my flowers and sweets
And called me fool.

And made me suffer, made me weep,
In daily teen and pain;
Would I were back, moaned I, in that
Green place again?

Time heard my plaint; 'that place,' said he,
'Hath now no fruit or flower.'
'Then take me back to that dark room
For evermore.'

This work is in the public domain in countries where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less.