Youth and Age
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
1772 to 1834
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Verse, a breeze mid blossoms straying,
Where Hope clung feeding, like a bee—
Both were mine! Life went a
With Nature, Hope, and Poesy,
When I young!
When I was young?—Ah, woful when!
Ah! the change 'twixt Now and Then!
This breathing house built with hands,
This body that does me grievous wrong,
O'er aery cliffs and glittering sands,
How lightly then flashed along:—
Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore,
winding lakes and rivers wide,
That ask no aid sail or oar,
That fear no spite of wind tide!
Nought cared this body for wind or weather
Youth and I liv'd in't together.
Flowers are lovely; 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 Ere,
Which tells me, Youth's no longer here!
O Youth! for years so many and sweet
'Tis known, that and I were one,
I'll think it but a conceit—
It cannot be, that Thou art gone!
Thy vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:—
And thou wert aye a bold!
What strange disguise hast now put on,
To believe, that Thou art gone?
I see these locks silvery slips,
This drooping gait, this altered size:
But blossoms on thy lips,
And tears take sunshine from eyes!
Life is but thought: so think I will
Youth and I are house-mates still.
Dew-drops are the of morning,
But the tears of mournful eve!
Where hope is, life's a warning
That only serves to us grieve,
When we are old:
That only to make us grieve
With oft and tedious taking-leave,
some poor nigh-related guest,
That may not rudely be dismist.
Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while,
And tells the without the smile.