Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume V. Nature. 1904. | | | | VI. Animate Nature | | The Fly | | William Oldys (1696–1761) |
| | Occasioned by a Fly Drinking out of the Author’s Cup |
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BUSY, curious, thirsty fly, | |
| Drink with me, and drink as I! | |
| Freely welcome to my cup, | |
| Couldst thou sip and sip it up: | |
| Make the most of life you may; | 5 |
| Life is short and wears away! | |
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| Both alike, both mine and thine, | |
| Hasten quick to their decline! | |
| Thine’s a summer; mine no more, | |
| Though repeated to threescore! | 10 |
| Threescore summers, when they ’re gone, | |
| Will appear as short as one! | | | |
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