Verse, a Breeze 'mid blossoms straying,
Where HOPE clung feeding, like a bee--
Both were mine ! Life went a-maying
With NATURE, HOPE, and POESY,
I was young!
When I was young? -- Ah, woeful WHEN!
Ah ! for the Change 'twixt Now and Then!
This breathing House not built with hands,
This body that does me grievous wrong,
O'er æry Cliffs and glittering Sands,
How lightly then it flashed along:--
Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore,
On winding lakes and rivers wide,
That ask no aid of Sail or Oar,
That fear no spite of Wind or Tide!
Nought cared this Body for wind or weather
When YOUTH and I lived in't together.
FLOWERS are lovely; LOVE is flower-like;
FRIENDSHIP is a sheltering tree;
O! the Joys, that came down shower-like,
Of FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and LIBERTY,
Ere I was old!
Ere I was old? -- Ah woeful ERE,
Which tells me, YOUTH'S no longer here!
O YOUTH! for years so many and sweet,
'Tis known, that Thou and I were one,
I'll think it but a fond conceit--
It cannot be that Thou art gone!
Thy Vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:--
And thou wert aye a Masker bold!
What strange Disguise hast now put on,
To make believe, that thou art gone?
I see these Locks in silvery slips,
This drooping Gait, this altered Size:
But SPRINGTIDE blossoms on thy Lips,
And Tears take sunshine from thine eyes!
Life is but Thought: so think I will
That YOUTH and I are House-mates still.
Dew-drops are the gems of morning,
But the tears of mournful eve!
Where no hope is, life's a warning
That only serves to make us grieve,
When we are old:
That only serves to make us grieve
With oft and tedious taking-leave,
Like some poor nigh-related guest,
That may not rudely be dismist;
Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while,
And tells the jest without the smile.
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Coleridge describes his feelings of regret for those days when everything was so cheerful to him.He was then young and look at life with hope and happiness.As a sensitive young man he felt the charm of natural objects and could look forward to the future days with the zest of youth.But youth had gone instead old age had become his companion.This makes him go back to the memories of his younger days.He was not so weak.Nature and its objects invited him with an attraction.Life was a pleasure to him.Within these pleasureable surroundings called youth,he met love,liberty and friendship.
FLOWERS are lovely ; LOVE is flower-like ;
FRIENDSHIP is a sheltering tree ;
O ! the Joys, that came down shower-like,
Of FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and LIBERTY,
Ere I was old !
OLD AGE therefore does not mean the loss of youth note these lines:
Dew-drops are the gems of morning,
But the tears of mournful eve !
Where no hope is, life's a warning
That only serves to make us grieve,
When we are old :
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FLOWERS are lovely ; LOVE is flower-like ;
FRIENDSHIP is a sheltering tree ;
O ! the Joys, that came down shower-like,
Of FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and LIBERTY,i really love this stanza
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This poem makes the difference between youth and age.it is very difficult to imagine about old age.Feelings of regret are described here.
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