The Past Was Goodly Once

William Ernest Henley 1849 (Gloucester) – 1903 (Woking)



The Past was goodly once, and yet, when all is said,
The best of it we know is that it's done and dead.

Dwindled and faded quite, perished beyond recall,
Nothing is left at last of what one time was all.

Coming back like a ghost, staring and lingering on,
Never a word it speaks but proves it dead and gone.

Duty and work and joy--these things it cannot give;
And the Present is life, and life is good to live.

Let it lie where it fell, far from the living sun,
The Past that, goodly once, is gone and dead and done.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

31 sec read
83

Quick analysis:

Scheme AA BB XX XX CC
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 515
Words 105
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

William Ernest Henley

William Ernest Henley was an English poet, critic and editor, best remembered for his 1875 poem "Invictus". more…

All William Ernest Henley poems | William Ernest Henley Books

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