I br br As long as Fame's imperious music rings br Will poets mock it with crowned words august; br And haggard men will clamber to be kings br As long as Glory weighs itself in dust. br br II br br Drink to the splendor of the unfulfilled, br Nor shudder for the revels that are done: br The wines that flushed Lucullus are all spilled, br The strings that Nero fingered are all gone. br br III br br We cannot crown ourselves with everything, br Nor can we coax the Fates for us to quarrel: br No matter what we are, or what we sing, br Time finds a withered leaf in every laurel.