Littell's Living Age/Volume 140/Issue 1811/Two Robbers

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Littell's Living Age, Volume 140, Issue 1811

Two Robbers by Francis William Bourdillon

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[Some time since we published a poem of Mr. F. W. ⁠Bourdillon's entitled "Two Robbers," which we ⁠now give, together with an answer not heretofor ⁠published.]

3305598Littell's Living Age, Volume 140, Issue 1811 — Two RobbersFrancis William Bourdillon

TWO ROBBERS.

When Death from some fair face
Is stealing life away,
All weep save she the grace
That earth must lose to-day.

When Time from some fair face
Steals beauty year by year;
For her slow-fading grace
Who gives save she a tear?

Yet Death not often dares
To wake the world's distress,
While Time, the cunning, mars
Surely all loveliness.

And though by breath and breath,
Fades all our fairest prime;
Men shrink from cruel Death,
But honor crafty Time.