Youth, day, old age and night

 

YOUTH, large, lusty, loving—youth full of grace, force, fascination,

Do you know that Old Age may come after you with equal grace,
force, fascination?

Day full-blown and splendid—day of the immense sun, action,
ambition, laughter,

The Night follows close with millions of suns, and sleep and
restoring darkness.

Walt Whitman - Leaves of Grass (1881-82)