Time & Brevity

A Comparison of the Life of Man

by Richard Barnfield 1574–1620

From Poems: In Divers Humors (1598), in The Complete Poems of Richard Barnfield, ed. Alexander B. Grosart (Roxburghe Library, 1876)

Time & BrevityDeath & Dying

Mans life is well compared to a feast,
Furnisht with choice of all Varietie:
To it comes Tyme; and as a bidden guest
Hee sets him downe, in Pompe and Maiestie;
The three-folde Age of Man, the Waiters bee.
Then with an earthen voyder (made of clay)
Comes Death, & takes the table cleane away.

MLA

Barnfield, Richard. “A Comparison of the Life of Man.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/barnfield/8/.

Chicago

Barnfield, Richard. “A Comparison of the Life of Man.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/barnfield/8/.

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