The Paradox of Time

"Le temps sen va, le temps sen va, ma dame!
Las! le temps non: mais nous nous en allons! "
Time goes, you say? Ah no!
Alas, Time stays, we go;
Or else, were this not so,
What need to chain the hours.
For Youth were always ours?
Time goes, you say? — ah no!

Ours is the eyes' deceit
Of men whose flying feet
Lead through some landscape low;
We pass, and think we see
The earth's fixed surface flee: —
Alas, Time stays, — we go!
Once in the days of old,
Your locks were curling gold,

And mine had shamed the crow.
Now, in the self-same stage.
We've reached the silver age;
Time goes, you say? — ah no!