Poetry? From Cliff?

So, I don't usually hold with poetry, but this one is too amazing not to share with the limited audience that reads my blog. A big thanks to Mr. F. Weston Beck for showing it to me back in his bitter days.

The Time I've Lost
--Thomas Moore

The time I've lost in wooing,
In watcing and pursuing
The light that lies
In woman's eyes,
Has been my heart's undoing.
Tho' Wisdom oft has sought me,
I scorn'd the lore she brought me,
My only books
Were women's looks,
And folly's all they taught me.

Her smile when Beauty granted,
I hung with gaze enchanted,
Like him the Sprite
Whom maids by night
Oft met in glen that's haunted.
Like him, too, Beauty won me;
But when the spell was on me,
If once their ray
Was turn'd away,
O! winds could not outrun me.

And are these follies going?
And is my proud heart growing
Too cold or wise
For brilliant eyes
Again to set it glowing?
No--vain, alas! th'endeavor
From bonds so sweet to sever:
Poor Wisdom's chance
Against a glance
Is now as weak as ever.

Like I said, amazing. Before I proceed, I would like to point out that I'm not bitter, at least not much. That being said, I really find it funny when people look at chasing women as pure folly, but pure folly that is impossible to avoid. It's like women are drugs. One's "own personal brand of heroin," if you will, and though the writer knows it's dumb to follow women, he can't stop. Do I feel like this sometimes? Probably. However, unlike Mr. Thomas Moore, I have the ability to stop at any time, (like the mechanic addicted to brake fluid) I just choose not to.