Or saddening smile, the laughter not forbidden
And love enfolding the green-woven sphere :
Lastly, the burning year of flame and fume
That burns men up in fire’s sepulchral womb.
Fivefold: the child, the frail, the delicate:
Then the strong laughing mischief: then the proud
Fight toward manhood and the sense elate,
Creative power and passion : then the loud
Assertion of young will, the quickening rate
And strength in blood, in youth with life endowed,
And firmness fastening; the last lustre’s span
Consolidates and shows the perfect man.
Fivefold : the humour changes as his child
Calls him first “father” ; sense of strength divine
Fills him; then man’s work in the world, and wild
Efforts to fame: then steadier in the shrine
Burns the full flame: then, turning, the years piled
Seem suddenly a burden ; then the fine
Flavour of full maturity is tasted : .
The man looks back, and asks if life be wasted.
Fivefold : delight in woman altering
To joy of sunlight only: love of life
Changing to fear of death: the golden spring
Trembles ; he hates the cold, the winter strife,
Laughs not with lust of combat: feebly cling
His old hands: he has sepultured his wife:
Last, palsied, shaking, drawing tremorous breath,
He gasps—and stumbles in the pit of death.
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