Edwin Arlington Robinson — Ballade of Dead Friends

As we the withered ferns        &nbsp By the roadway lying, Time, the jester, spurns        &nbsp All our prayers and prying —        &nbsp All our tears and sighing, Sorrow, change, and woe —        &nbsp All our where-and-whying For friends that come and go. Life awakes and burns,        &nbsp Age and death defying, Till at last it learns        &nbsp All but Love is dying;        &nbsp Love's the trade we're plying, God has willed it so;        &nbsp Shrouds are what we're buying For friends that come and go. Man forever yearns        &nbsp For the thing that's flying. Everywhere he turns,        &nbsp Men to dust are drying, —        &nbsp Dust that wanders, eying (With eyes that hardly glow)        &nbsp New faces, dimly spying For friends that come and go.        &nbsp       &nbsp       &nbsp ENVOY And thus we all are nighing        &nbsp The truth we fear to know: Death will end our crying        &nbsp For friends that come and go.