The Fly
Richard Rodney Bennett, William Oldys
Busy, curious, thirsty fly!
Drink with me and drink as I:
Freely welcome to my cup
Couldst thou sip and sip it up:
Make the most of life you may
Life is short and wears away
Just alike, both mine and thine
Hasten quick to their decline:
Thine's a summer, mine no more
Though repeated to threescore
Threescore summers, when they're gone
Will appear as short as one!