Were beth they that biforen us weren, <br />Houndes ladden and havekes beren, <br /> And hadden feld and wode? <br />The riche levedies in hoere bour, <br />That wereden gold in hoere tressour, <br /> With hoere brightte rode; <br /> <br /> Eten and drounken, and maden hem glad; <br />Hoere lif was al with gamen i-lad, <br /> Men kneleden hem biforen; <br />They beren hem wel swithe heye; <br />And in a twincling of an eye <br /> Hoere soules weren forloren. <br /> <br />Were is that lawhing and that song, <br />That trayling and that proude gong, <br /> Tho havekes and tho houndes? <br />Al that joye is went away, <br />That wele is comen to weylaway, <br /> To manye harde stoundes. <br /> <br />Hoere paradis they nomen here, <br />And nou they lyen in helle i-fere; <br /> The fuir hit brennes hevere: <br />Long is ay, and long is o, <br />Long is wy, and long is wo; <br /> Thennes ne cometh they nevere.<br /><br />Anonymous Americas<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ubi-sunt-qui-ante-nos-fuerunt/
