A serviceable thing br Is fennel, mint, or balm, br Kept in the thrifty calm br Of hollows, in the spring; br Or by old houses pent. br Dear is its ancient scent br To folk that love the days forgot, br Nor think that God is not. br br Sage, lavender, and rue, br For body’s hurt and ill, br For fever and for chill; br Rosemary, strange with dew, br For sorrow and its smart, br For breaking of the heart. br Yet pain, dearth, tears, all come to dust, br As even the herbs must. br br Life-everlasting, too, br Windless, poignant, and sere, br That blows in the old year, br Townsmen, for me and you. br Why fret for wafting airs? br Why haste to sell our wares? br Captains and clerks, this shall befall; br This is the end of all.