My candle burns at both ends;
   It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
   It gives a lovely light!
“Burning the candle at both ends” has become a proverbial expression thanks to this poem. It’s a metaphor for overextending yourself–pushing yourself past your limits, whether through work or play. Whatever the narrator is doing to herself is so unsustainable, she will soon give out. 

First Fig My candle burns at both ends...