A little time for laughter

Philip Bourke Marston

1850 to 1887

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Track 1

Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.

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To me to have thy love;
A little time for laughter,
Love's unperfected schemes;
A little time to kiss and cling,
But long, long years to weep in,
A little while for scheming
Things sweet to say and hear;
And eternity to sleep in.
Words the heart breaks to say;
Then no more any dreaming.
Now, like a ghost, alone I move
A little time for golden dreams,
A little time for speaking
Great grief that desolates the soul,
About a ruined heaven.
A little time for saying
Then no more need of praying;
Then no more any seeking.
A little while 'twas given
A little time to sing,
And comprehend the whole
A time to seek, and find thee near,
A short sharp time wherein to pray,
And no more kissing after.