Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PAST, FUTURE, AND PRESENT; AN ALLEGORY, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PAST, FUTURE, AND PRESENT; AN ALLEGORY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Once on a time -- we need not care
Last Line: "the present still is king of all!"
Subject(s): Time


ONCE on a time -- we need not care
Too nicely for the when and where --
Three princes, who, since Time had birth,
Have ruled three provinces on earth,
Whate'er the scope of human aims,
(Past, Future, Present, were their names,)
Met on a pleasant summer's day,
And talking in a friendly way
Of topics such as neighbors use
For mere companionship, -- the news,
The weather, or mayhap the price
Of bullion since the last advice
Touching the royal health, -- began
At length to speculate on Man
And his affairs; in brief, on all
Such subtile themes as, since the Fall,
Have puzzled moralists; and then
From such deep talk concerning men
As ranged from Providence to Fate,
They fell at last to sharp debate
About themselves, as, who might be
In power the greatest of the three.
"I," said the Past, "must be the one,
Since all things great were surely done
By me, -- there's naught in all the land
But bears the impress of my hand!"
"True," said the Future; "yet reflect,
Your doings claim but small respect
Compared with mine, -- since all to be
Henceforward will be ruled by me!"
"Nay," said the Present, "cease your claims;
What are ye both but sounding names?
All things achieved beneath the sun,
And all on earth that shall be done,
Are mine alone! O'er great and small
The Present still is king of all!"





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