George Meredith

Here you will find the Poem Modern Love XIII: I Play for Seasons, Not Eternities of poet George Meredith

Modern Love XIII: I Play for Seasons, Not Eternities

'I play for Seasons; not Eternities!' 
Says Nature, laughing on her way. 'So must 
All those whose stake is nothing more than dust!' 
And lo, she wins, and of her harmonies 
She is full sure! Upon her dying rose, 
She drops a look of fondness, and goes by, 
Scarce any retrospection in her eye; 
For she the laws of growth most deeply knows, 
Whose hands bear, here, a seed-bag--there, an urn. 
Pledges she herself to aught, 'twould mark her end! 
This lesson of our only visible friend, 
Can we not teach our foolish hearts to learn ? 
Yes! yes !--but, oh, our human rose is fair 
Surpassingly! Lose calmly Love's great bliss, 
When the renewed for ever of a kiss 
Whirls life within the shower of loosened hair!