I stand midst ruins from the past. <br />Great buildings that were meant to last, <br /> to show the power of some king <br />I think time conquers everything. <br /> <br />The old gods die and temples fall <br /> but leave perhaps a standing wall <br /> On which we can see faint writing. <br />I think time conquers everything, <br /> <br />The glories of the past passé’ <br /> There’s nought but rubble left today <br /> and memories to which men cling <br />I think time conquers everything <br /> <br /> And yet perhaps not strictly true <br />I see the branches of a yew. <br />An ancient tree still flourishing <br />Time does not conquer everything. <br /> <br />Time can destroy the works of man. <br />The evidence shows that it can <br />The yew tree is a living thing <br /> which stubbornly keeps on growing. <br /> <br />Perhaps the tree will conquer time <br />if we take the long term view <br /> and see it as a paradigm. <br />The parts which die it can renew <br /> <br />20-May-07<br /><br />ivor .e hogg<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/beating-time/
