Classic Poem

1

Off Lentren in the first mornyng,
Airly as did the day vp spring,
Thus sang ane bird with voce vp plane:
" All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

2

" O man, haif mynd that thow mon pas,
Remembir that thow art bot as,
And sall in as revert agane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

3

" Haif mynd that eild ay followis yowth,
Deth followis lyfe with gaipand mowth,
Devoring fruct and flowring grane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

4

" Welth, wardly gloir and riche array
Ar all bot thornis laid in thy way,
Ourcowerd with flouris, laid for a trane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

5

" Come nevir yit May so fresche and grene,
Bot Ianuar come als wod and kene;
Wes nevir sic drowth bot anis come rane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

6

" Evirmair vnto this warldis ioy
As nerrest air succeidis noy;
Thairfoir quhen ioy ma nocht remane,
His verry air succeidis pane.

7

" Heir helth returnis in seiknes,
And mirth returnis in havines,
Toun in desert, forrest in plane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

8

" Fredome returnis in wrechitnes
And trewth returnis in dowbilnes,
With fenyeit wirdis to mak men fane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

9

" Vertew returnis in to vyce
And honour in to avaryce.
With cuvatyce is consciens slane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane.

10

" Sen erdly ioy abydis nevir
Wirk for the ioy that lestis evir,
For vder ioy is all bot vane:
All erdly ioy returnis in pane."