AKA Jorge Manrique C1440–1479, a major Spanish poet who wrote Life, The Coplas on the Death of His Father and his main works; the Coplas a la muerte de su padre (Stanzas about the Death of his Father) which is still read today.

Above are four of the verses from the poem 'Life' by Jorge Manrique published in a Victorian newspaper (Verses 4, 5 and 6); there being seven verses in the full version.

LIFE.

Our lives like hasting streams must be,
That into one engulphing sea
Are doomed to fall:
The sea of Death, whose waves roll on,
O’er king and kingdom, crown and throne,
And swallow all.

Alike the river’s lordly tide,
Alike the humble riv’lets glide
To that sad wave;
Death levels poverty and pride,
And rich and poor sleep side by side
Within the grave.

Our birth is but the starting place,
Life is the running of the race,
And death the goal:
There all our steps at last are brought,
That path alone, of all unsought,
Is found of all.

Gorge Manrique.