Observe the busy bee, my son,
which from dawn rich till day is done,
from bloom to blossom journeying,
extracts from each a different thing, -
a special nectar from each one,
by each embraced, detained by none.
There’s room for more before Death’s sting
envelops all within dark wing.
When first-fruits fall so readily,
then flitter-flatter fancy free.
Our hearts rejoice ‘bove anything
to hear the cricket’s cheerful ring,
so dance through life, no pleasures shun,
until the thread of Fortune’s spun.
Copy the cricket, chirp and sing
throughout life’s Summer, for Time’s wing
is almost flown before begun: -
from branch to branch enjoy your fun
before you choose the perfect tree
from which to hang eternity.
Eternal traverse of the sun
mocks Man’s vain efforts, every one,
“the garment of repentance fling”
to dust “and in the fire of Spring”
refill your cup, let sweetness run.
All know their leaves fall one by one.
Today tomorrow stings, may bring
sans eyes, sans ears, sans everything.
“Some little talk of me and thee”
there’ll be, then nothing more will be.
Author notes
Quotations and Title from Edward Fitzgerald's rendering of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
XXI
Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and the best
That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
And one by one crept silently to Rest.
XXII
And we, that now make merry in the Room
They left, and Summer dresses in new Bloom,
Ourselves must we beneath the Couch of Earth
Descend, ourselves to make a Couch -- for whom ?
XXIII
Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,
Before we too into the Dust Descend ;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie,
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer and -- sans End !
In a list
- Brahma & Rubaiyat • next in list
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Comments
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Very nice ...
and very nicely done. However, I see nothing here that addresses the actual point of the contest. Perhaps you'd like to give it another try?
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Thank you very much for the entry.
It was very pretty~
Best of luck.
~ Dian
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