Swift is death when it meets the host

Death comes and man a weeper

His case closed now just a moaner.

My Lord! My Lord!

As of today I shall abide

Undo my time

To prove the right

I wish to revise,

Improve;

No more breaking of rule or tool.

Death comes and man a weeper

His case closed now just a moaner.

Air, health, wealth all misapplied

Gifts immense for self-aggrandized

All gone, all gone.

Death comes and man a weeper

His case closed now just a moaner:

My Lord! My Lord!

Man! O man!

Wasn’t his life just a loan?

A pair of eyes, faculties to apply?

Wasn’t happiness his lot and cause?

And sadness a trial for him to know?

Man! O man!

Basked he not in a clime of sunshine?

Much blessings did he not deride?

Tasted the cold did he not all right?

And heat did he not sample in delight?

Feasted on beauty did he not quite?

Feeling the opposite did he not cry?

Trekked the mountains did he not to write?

Admired the bloom did he not in a dye?

Whilst his heart the Maker did deride?

Man! O man!

Time enough you were hearty and fine

So fuss no more and stop the chime

Death comes and man the weeper

His case closed now just a moaner:

O Lord! O Lord!

Man! O man!

I took your friends to make you see

Arrested your neighbors to make you feel

Then you shed a tear or two or more

And straight away a beer or phrase.

I said: Listen to you in the dark of night

I said:

I am the One in whom you flee

I said:

I am the Link so break not free.

You said:

Later, Later, O God of mine.

You said, create me a god,

If You are true .

I said,

Look at you, O man of man!

You said,

Not now, not now. 

I said,

the Angel of Death is always nigh.

You said,

I like things just the way they are

And give not a hoot whether false or trite.