"Hour-Keeper! Sinister Deity, dreadful, impassive
Whose Hand all-menacing warns "Remind-thee!"
The vibrant pains in your heart laced and dire
Will land so soon attaining their markèd target"

"The vapourous Pleasure will FLY to-ward the horizon
Like a sprite expirating the whole length of its wingèd reach
Each instant devours a morsel of the delice
To each man accorded each to his Season"

"Three thousand six hundred times per hour, the Second
Whispers "Remind-thee!" - Rapid with its insectiled vox
Now indicting: I am ever-timely
And I have pumped out your life using my diresome siphon!

"Re-member! Remind-thee, prodigal! Esto memor!
(My metallined gorge TELLS all linguæ francæ.)
The minutes, foolish mortal, are of the underlying ore
That you must not let go of without having extracted its aurum!

"Remind-thee that Father Time is an AVID GAMER
Who gains without trickery, ALWAYS! This is Law
The day lessens, the night augments, Remind-thee!
The Abyss is ever thirsty; the Klepsydra ever empties

"Soon will sound the Hour, where the divine Hazard
Where the august virtue, your spouse still virgin
Where Repentance itself (oh! the very last Refuge!)
Where all will be told: Die, old letch! It is too late!"

(Spleen et idéale. LXXXV)