| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909. | | | | Mutability | | By Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) |
| | | THE FLOWER that smiles to-day | |
| To-morrow dies; | |
| All that we wish to stay | |
| Tempts and then flies. | |
| What is this world’s delight? | 5 |
| Lightning that mocks the night, | |
| Brief even as bright. | |
| |
| Virtue, how frail it is! | |
| Friendship how rare! | |
| Love, how it sells poor bliss | 10 |
| For proud despair! | |
| But we, though soon they fall, | |
| Survive their joy, and all | |
| Which ours we call. | |
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| Whilst skies are blue and bright, | 15 |
| Whilst flowers are gay, | |
| Whilst eyes that change ere night | |
| Make glad the day; | |
| Whilst yet the calm hours creep, | |
| Dream thou—and from thy sleep | 20 |
| Then wake to weep. | | | | |
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