'Tho' green at noon, cut down at night,
Shows thy decay;
All flesh is hay.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The pipe so lily-like and weak,
Does thus thy mortal state bespeak.
Thou art ev'n such,
Gone with a touch.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the smoke ascends on high,
Then thou behold'st the vanity
Of worldly stuff,
Gone with a puff.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the pipe grows foul within,
Think on thy soul defil'd with sin;
For then the fire,
It does require.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And seest the ashes cast away;
Then to thyself thou mayest say
That to the dust
Return thou must.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Smoking Spiritualized, Part 1
~Ralph Erskine~
2 comments:
I generally go more for a good cigar than a pipe (a little less work to keep a cigar lit...), but I love this poem by Ralph Erskine!
I think the third stanza is my favorite.
Dad has often read this poem for "The Feast of All Saints"; I savor it every single time.
I like how he uses the simplistic example of a pipe and tobacco to describe the human race. Only a great writer can do that...
Post a Comment