When Lent and Responsions are ended, <br />When May with fritillaries waits, <br />When the flower of the chestnut is splendid, <br />When drags are at all of the gates <br />(Those drags the philosopher 'slates' <br />With a scorn that is truly sublime), <br />Life wins from the grasp of the Fates <br />Sweet hours and the fleetest of time! <br /> <br />When wickets are bowl'd and defended, <br />When Isis is glad with 'the Eights,' <br />When music and sunset are blended, <br />When Youth and the summer are mates, <br />When Freshmen are heedless of 'Greats,' <br />And when note-books are cover'd with rhyme, <br />Ah, these are the hours that one rates - <br />Sweet hours and the fleetest of time! <br /> <br />When the brow of the Dean is unbended <br />At luncheons and mild tete-a-tetes, <br />When the Tutor's in love, nor offended <br />By blunders in tenses or dates; <br />When bouquets are purchased of Bates, <br />When the bells in their melody chime, <br />When unheeded the Lecturer prates - <br />Sweet hours and the fleetest of time! <br /> <br />ENVOY. <br /> <br />Reformers of Schools and of States, <br />Is mirth so tremendous a crime? <br />Ah! spare what grim pedantry hates - <br />Sweet hours and the fleetest of time!<br /><br />Andrew Lang<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ballade-of-the-summer-term/
