The Lapse of Time

Moments and minutes, hours and days,
To weeks, and months, and years amount;
Not one beyond its date delays:
For these we each must soon account.

How well, how ill, howe'er employ'd,
Our health, our strength, our talents lent;
All we have suffer'd and enjoy'd,
In wisdom or in folly spent:--

The secret things in darkness seal'd,
All we have felt, thought, spoken, done;
In heaven's pure light must be reveal'd,
When time's last act puts out the sun.

With every twinkling of an eye,
With every step, pulse, motion, breath;
The longest human life draws nigh,
And nigher to the gates of death.

The past we never can recall,
The present none has power to hold;
The future is not--few of all
The millions born on earth grow old.

What, then, are we, and whither bent?
Our Saviour calls--let us obey;
This moment, minute, hour, repent,
And live for ever from this day.