I. Age .

Come hither, boy, and tell
How all thy hours glide on. Youth .
Oh, smiling, Sir, and well
They fly,
They die,
Ere I conceive them gone. Age .
Thy morning, boy, thy morn — Youth .
In music and in song. Age .
The evening you adorn — Youth .
With music and with song;
But, sad to say,
Both night and day
On wings sure glide along:
They fly,
They die,
Ere I conceive them gone.

II. Age .

Come hither, boy, and take
This hour-glass from me. Youth .
Oh, yes! if it will make
Time stay
One day,
I'll take the glass from thee. Age .
For thee the sage's lore — Youth .
Yes, yes, it shall unfold, Age .
Time still has hours in store — Youth .
For me to turn to gold;
While I can say,
Both night and day
Like magic glide along:
They fly,
They die,
In music and in song: —
They fly,
They die,
Ere I conceive them gone.