Death & Dying
Epitaph
Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring (1853) · From Epigrams
Death & Dying
As a boy, reserved and naughty;
As a youth, a coxcomb and haughty;
As a man, for action inclined;
As a greybeard, fickle in mind.--
Upon thy grave will people read:
This was a very man, indeed!
Cite this poem
MLA
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. “Epitaph.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/goethe/215/.
Chicago
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. “Epitaph.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/goethe/215/.
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