If the quick spirits in your eye
Now languish and anon must die;
If every sweet and every grace
Must fly from that forsaken face;
Then, Celia let us reap our joys
Ere Time such goodly fruit destroys.
Or if that golden fleece must grow
For ever free from agèd snow;
If those bright suns must know no shade,
Nor your fresh beauties ever fade;
Then fear not, Celia, to bestow
What, still being gather’d, still must grow.
Thus either Time his sickle brings
In vain, or else in vain his wings.
I am busy working to bring Thomas Carew's "Persuasions to Joy" to life through some unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you later.
In the meantime, I invite you to explore the poem's themes, structure, and meaning. You can also check out the gallery for other musical arrangements or learn more about Thomas Carew's life and contributions to literature.
Check back soon to experience how "Persuasions to Joy" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.