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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  252. To Daffodils

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Robert Herrick. 1591–1674

252. To Daffodils

FAIR daffodils, we weep to see 
  You haste away so soon; 
As yet the early-rising sun 
  Has not attain’d his noon. 
        Stay, stay         5
    Until the hasting day 
        Has run 
    But to the evensong; 
And, having pray’d together, we 
    Will go with you along.  10
 
We have short time to stay, as you, 
  We have as short a spring; 
As quick a growth to meet decay, 
  As you, or anything. 
        We die  15
    As your hours do, and dry 
        Away 
    Like to the summer’s rain; 
Or as the pearls of morning’s dew, 
    Ne’er to be found again.  20