As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow‘st,
In one of thine, from that which thou departest;
And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow‘st,
Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest,

Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase;
Without this folly, age, and cold decay:
If all were minded so, the times should cease
And threescore year would make the world away.

Let those whom nature hath not made for store,
Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish:
Look, whom she best endow‘d, she gave thee more;
Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:

She carv‘d thee for her seal, and meant thereby,
Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.

Poem explained

Thou art an exquisite masterpiece, crafted by the hands of nature with care and purpose. As time passes, you both diminish and flourish, transferring your vitality to the next generation. The enduring flow of life’s essence is captured within this cycle, where wisdom, beauty, and abundance thrive. Absent this process, only folly, age, and desolation would prevail, hastening the demise of the times, leaving naught but sixty years to define the world.

Those not destined to contribute to the abundance of life should wither away, while those gracefully adorned by nature with her utmost gifts should nurture and share their blessings. You were meticulously carved by nature as her symbol, intended to perpetuate and enrich the world, preserving the legacy bestowed upon you. Embrace the duty to imprint more of your essence, ensuring the perpetuity of your remarkable existence.