Living
To a Gentlewoman, objecting to him his gray haires.
From Hesperides (1648)
AM I despis'd, because you say,
And I dare sweare, that I am gray?
Know, Lady, you have but your day:
And time will come when you shall weare
Such frost and snow upon your haire:
And when (though long it comes to passe)
You question with your Looking-glasse;
And in that sincere Christall seek,
But find no Rose-bud in your cheek:
Nor any bed to give the shew
Where such a rare Carnation grew.
Ah! then too late, close in your chamber keeping,
It will be told
That you are old;
By those true teares y'are weeping.
Cite this poem
MLA
Herrick, Robert. “To a Gentlewoman, objecting to him his gray haires.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/165/.
Chicago
Herrick, Robert. “To a Gentlewoman, objecting to him his gray haires.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/herrick/165/.
Read this poem with the Codex →