AS I went a-walking <br />Through the Morning Land, <br />Up came Folly <br />And took me by the hand; <br />Garbed in velvet doublet, <br />Clad in silken hose — <br />Bells on his droll cap, <br />Bells on his clothes, <br />Bells on his shoulders, <br />Bells round his waist <br />Tinkled as he shouted: <br />'Haste, brother, haste; <br />Youth's a thing that never will be missed <br />Till it's gone, gone for ever, like the dew from the rose!' <br />Sparkled all the waters, <br />Sparkled everything — <br />Dew on the petal, <br />Dew on the wing, <br />Dew on the meadows, <br />Dew in the air, <br />Dew on the tall trees, <br />Dew everywhere, <br />Dew on the fine web, <br />Gemming each part; <br />Dew on the red mouth, <br />Dew in the heart; <br />Toil's a thing that never heart will crave <br />In the sweet, sweet morning and the dew-time rare. <br />Song and jest I gathered <br />Strolling up and down, <br />Talk o' the tavern <br />And gossip of the town; <br />Storing in my wallet, <br />Careless of the throng, <br />Coin of golden fancy, <br />Coin of silver song, <br />Gems of jovial friendship, <br />Keepsakes manifold, <br />Pearls that never gem-smith <br />Set in filmy gold. <br />Wealth's a witch that loses half her lure, <br />When the blood runs red, and the pulse beats strong. <br />As I went a-walking <br />Through the moonlit land, <br />Up came Prudence <br />And took me by the hand; <br />Solemn was her aspect, <br />Sober her clothes, <br />Cruel her questions, <br />Hinting chilly woes: <br />'Where be you a-going? <br />What have you to eat? <br />Where's your wood and water? <br />Where's your bread and meat?' <br />Youth's a thing that never will be missed <br />Till it's gone, gone for ever, like the dew from the rose!<br /><br />Roderic Quinn<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-counsellors/
