'Taffy was a Welshman,

Taffy was a thief;

Taffy came to my house

And stole a piece of beef:

I went to Taffy's house,

Taffy was n't at home;

Taffy came to my house

And stole a marrow bone:

I went to Taffy's house,

Taffy was in bed;

I took the marrow bone,

And beat about his head."

Old Time came unto my house of clay,

And pilfered its pride of flesh away:

I knocked at the doors of the years in vain

To ask for its goodliness again.

Old Time came unto me yet once more,

For crueller theft than he thieved before;

Stealing the very marrow and bone

That the strength of my life was builded on.

Old Time! At last thou shalt lie in thy bed,

And thy years and days be buried and

dead;

And the strength of the life to come shall

be

In the great revenge I will have of thee!