As we the withered ferns 
By the roadway lying, 
Time, the jester, spurns 
All our prayers and prying -- 
All our tears and sighing, 
Sorrow, change, and woe -- 
All our where-and-whying 
For friends that come and go. 

Life awakes and burns, 
Age and death defying, 
Till at last it learns 
All but Love is dying; 
Love's the trade we're plying, 
God has willed it so; 
Shrouds are what we're buying 
For friends that come and go. 

Man forever yearns 
For the thing that's flying. 
Everywhere he turns, 
Men to dust are drying, -- 
Dust that wanders, eying 
(With eyes that hardly glow) 
New faces, dimly spying 
For friends that come and go. 

ENVOY

And thus we all are nighing 
The truth we fear to know: 
Death will end our crying 
For friends that come and go.