Life is a fire, that burns1 full hot,
But when round wat’ry atoms pow’r have got,
Then2 do they quench life’s atoms out—
Blunting their points—and kill their courage stout.
Thus they sometimes thrust out each other quite,3 5
When equal mixed, do quietly unite.4
The cause5 why things do live and die,
Is as the mixèd6 atoms lie.
- Life is a fire, that burns] Life is a Fire, and burnes 1653; Life is like as a Fire, that burns 1664; Life is like to a Fire, that burns 1668
- Then] On it, then 1664; On it; then 1668
- thrust out each other quite,] do quite thrust out each other, 1653
- do quietly unite.] live quietly together. 1653; do quietly unite; 1664; do quietly unite. 1668
- cause] only cause 1664, 1668
- Is] ’S according 1664; Is according 1668