| Francis T. Palgrave, ed. (1824–1897). The Golden Treasury. 1875. |
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| G. Sewell |
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| CLXIII. The Dying Man in His Garden |
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| WHY, Damon, with the forward day | |
| Dost thou thy little spot survey, | |
| From tree to tree, with doubtful cheer, | |
| Pursue the progress of the year, | |
| What winds arise, what rains descend, | 5 |
| When thou before that year shalt end? | |
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| What do thy noontide walks avail, | |
| To clear the leaf, and pick the snail, | |
| Then wantonly to death decree | |
| An insect usefuller than thee? | 10 |
| Thou and the worm are brother-kind, | |
| As low, as earthy, and as blind. | |
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| Vain wretch! canst thou expect to see | |
| The downy peach make court to thee? | |
| Or that thy sense shall ever meet | 15 |
| The bean-flower's deep-embosom'd sweet | |
| Exhaling with an evening blast? | |
| Thy evenings then will all be past! | |
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| Thy narrow pride, thy fancied green | |
| (For vanity's in little seen), | 20 |
| All must be left when Death appears, | |
| In spite of wishes, groans, and tears; | |
| Nor one of all thy plants that grow | |
| But rosemary will with thee go. | |
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