Young and Old

¹When all the world is young, lad,

²And all the trees are green;

³And every goose a swan, lad,

⁴And every lass a queen;

⁵Then hey for boot and horse, lad,

⁶And round the world away!

⁷Young blood must have its course, lad,

⁸And every dog his day.

⁹When all the world is old, lad,

¹⁰And all the trees are brown;

¹¹And all the sport is stale, lad,

¹²And all the wheels run down;

¹³Creep home, and take your place there,

¹⁴The spent and maimed among:

¹⁵God grant you find one face there,

¹⁶You loved when all was young.