Poem by Alfred Edward Housman

Additional Poems. 4. It Is No Gift I Tender

It is no gift I tender,
        A loan is all I can;
But do not scorn the lender;
        Man gets no more from man.

Oh, mortal man may borrow
        What mortal man can lend;
And ’twill not end tomorrow,
        Though sure enough ’twill end.

If death and time are stronger
        A love may yet be strong;
The world will last for longer
        But this will last for long.

1. More Poems. 33. On Forelands High in Heaven
2. Last Poems. 39. When Summer’s End Is Nighing
3. More Poems. 46. The Land of Biscay
4. Last Poems. 22. The Sloe Was Lost in Flower
5. More Poems. 18. Delight it Is in Youth and May

Print

1244 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version