Okay, milum, gems of obscurity it is! Here's one of my favorite lesser known scribblings:

ON THE EVE OF HIS EXECUTION

by Chidiock Tichborne (1558?-1586)

My prime of youth is but a frost of cares,
my feast of ioy is but a dish of paine:
My Crop of corne is but a field of tares,
and al my good is but vaine hope of gaine.
The day is past, and yet I saw no sunne,
And now I liue, and now my life is done.


My tale was heard, and yet it was not told,
my fruite is falne, & yet my leaues are greene:
My youth is spent, and yet I am not old,
I saw the world, and yet I was not seene.
My thred is cut, and yet it is not spunne,
And now I liue, and now my life is done.


I sought my death, and found it in my wombe,
I lookt for life, and saw it was a shade:
I trod the earth, and knew it was my Tombe,
And now I die, and now I was but made.
My glasse is full, and now my glasse is runne,
And now I liue, and now my life is done.

Tichborne was executed because he got caught up in one of those English Throne conspiracy things...and he died rather gruesomely. Here's a link for the story if anyone is interested:

http://www.etsu.edu/english/sites/bowens.htm





The Only WO'N!