Poeticous Logo
en
English Español Français Italiano
Robert W. Service

Robert W. Service

At Eighty Years

As nothingness draws near
How I can see
Inexorably clear
My vanity.
My sum of worthiness
Always so small,
Dwindles from less to less
To none at all.
 
As grisly destiny
Claims me at last,
How grievous seem to me
Sins of my past!
How keen a conscience edge
Can come to be!
How pitiless the dredge
Of memory!
 
Ye proud ones of the earth
Who count your gains,
What cherish you of worth
For all your pains?
E’er death shall slam the door,
Will you, like me,
Face fate and count the score—
FUTILITY.

Enjoyed this read? Treat us to a coffee!.
Your help allows us to exist.
Login to comment.
Other works by Robert W. Service...
My Indian Summer

Here in the Autumn of my days My life is mellowed in a haze. Unpleasant sights are none to clea… Discordant sounds I hardly hear. Infirmities like buffers soft
Unholy Trinity

Though Virtue hurt you Vice is ni… Aye, Parson says it’s wrong, Yet for my pleasing I’ll suffice With Women, Wine and Song. But though it be with jocund glee
The Damned

My days are haunted by the thought Of men in coils of Justice caught With stone and steel, in chain and… Of men condemned to living hell,— Yet blame them not.
A Verseman's Apology

Alas! I am only a rhymer, I don’t know the meaning of Art; But I learned in my little school… To love Eugene Field and Bret Ha… I hailed Hoosier Ryley with pleas…
Treat 'Em Rough

Treat ‘Em Rough First time I dared propose, A callow lad was I; I donned my Sunday clothes, I wore my Old School Tie.
Spanish Women

The Spanish women don’t wear slac… Because their hips are too enormou… 'Tis true each bulbous bosom lacks No inspiration that should warm us… But how our ardor seems to freeze
Brave Coward

Elisabeth imagines I’ve A yellow streak She deems I have no dash and driv… Jest dogoned weak. ‘A man should be a man,’ says Liz
Katie Drummond

My Louis loved me oh so well And spiered me for his wife; He would have haled me from the he… That was my bawdy life: The mother of his bairns to be,
The Seed

I was a seed that fell In silver dew; And nobody could tell, For no one knew; No one could tell my fate,
God's Battleground

God dwells in you; in pride and sh… In all you do to blight or bless; In all you are of praise and blame… In beauty or in ugliness. “Divine Creation” —What a fraud!
The Judgement

The Judgement The Judge looked down, his face w… He scratched his ear; The gangster’s moll looked up at h… With eyes of fear.
The Missal Makers

To visit the Escurial We took a motor bus, And there a guide mercurial Took charge of us. He showed us through room after ro…
An Old Story

(Retold in Rhyme) They threw him in a prison cell; He moaned upon his bed. And when he crept from coils of he… “Last night you killed,” they said…
The Choice

Some inherit manly beauty, Some come into worldly wealth; Some have lofty sense of duty, Others boast exultant health. Though the pick may be confusing,
Fallen Leaves

Why should I be the first to fall Of all the leaves on this old tree… Though sadly soon I know that all Will lose their hold and follow me… While my birth—brothers bravely bl…



Top
Logo

Looks like your ad blocker is on.

We rely on ads to keep creating quality content for you to enjoy for free.

Please support our site by disabling your ad blocker.

Choose your Ad Blocker

  • Adblock Plus
  • Adblock
  • Adguard
  • Ad Remover
  • Brave
  • Ghostery
  • uBlock Origin
  • uBlock
  • UltraBlock
  • Other
  1. In the extension bar, click the AdBlock Plus icon
  2. Click the large blue toggle for this website
  3. Click refresh
  1. In the extension bar, click the AdBlock icon
  2. Under "Pause on this site" click "Always"
  1. In the extension bar, click on the Adguard icon
  2. Click on the large green toggle for this website
  1. In the extension bar, click on the Ad Remover icon
  2. Click "Disable on This Website"
  1. In the extension bar, click on the orange lion icon
  2. Click the toggle on the top right, shifting from "Up" to "Down"
  1. In the extension bar, click on the Ghostery icon
  2. Click the "Anti-Tracking" shield so it says "Off"
  3. Click the "Ad-Blocking" stop sign so it says "Off"
  4. Refresh the page
  1. In the extension bar, click on the uBlock Origin icon
  2. Click on the big, blue power button
  3. Refresh the page
  1. In the extension bar, click on the uBlock icon
  2. Click on the big, blue power button
  3. Refresh the page
  1. In the extension bar, click on the UltraBlock icon
  2. Check the "Disable UltraBlock" checkbox
  3. Marque la casilla de verificación "Desactivar UltraBlock"
  1. Please disable your Ad Blocker
  2. Disable any DNS blocking tools such as AdGuardDNS or NextDNS

If the prompt is still appearing, please disable any tools or services you are using that block internet ads (e.g. DNS Servers).