'TO LIVE MERRILY,AND TO TRUST TO GOOD VERSES' by Robert Herrick


AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay



Now is the time for mirth;
Nor cheek or tongue be dumb;
For with [the] flowery earth
The golden pomp is come.

The golden pomp is come;
For now each tree does wear,
Made of her pap and gum,
Rich beads of amber here.

Now reigns the Rose, and now
Th' Arabian dew besmears
My uncontrolled brow,
And my retorted hairs.

Homer, this health to thee!
In sack of such a kind,
That it would make thee see,
Though thou wert ne'er so blind

Next, Virgil I'll call forth,
To pledge this second health
In wine, whose each cup's worth
An Indian commonwealth.

A goblet next I'll drink
To Ovid; and suppose
Made he the pledge, he'd think
The world had all one nose.

Then this immensive cup
Of aromatic wine,
Catullus!I quaff up
To that terse muse of thine.

Wild I am now with heat:
O Bacchus!cool thy rays;
Or frantic I shall eat
Thy Thyrse, and bite the Bays!

Round, round, the roof does run;
And being ravish'd thus,
Come, I will drink a tun
To my Propertius.

Now, to Tibullus next,
This flood I drink to thee;
--But stay, I see a text,
That this presents to me.

Behold!Tibullus lies
Here burnt, whose small return
Of ashes scarce suffice
To fill a little urn.

Trust to good verses then;
They only will aspire,
When pyramids, as men,
Are lost i' th' funeral fire.

And when all bodies meet
In Lethe to be drown'd;
Then only numbers sweet
With endless life are crown'd.

Editor 1 Interpretation

To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses by Robert Herrick

Are you a lover of poetry? If so, then you must have heard of Robert Herrick, the English poet and clergyman who lived in the 17th century. His works are still admired today and one of his most famous poems is "To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses". This poem is a celebration of life and the power of poetry to bring joy and happiness.

Poetic Devices

This poem is a perfect example of Herrick's use of poetic devices. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, which gives it a rhythmic flow. The use of alliteration in the poem also creates a musical effect, making it pleasing to the ears. For example, in the first line, Herrick writes "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", where the repetition of the "y" sound creates a harmonious effect.

The poem also uses rhyme, with the rhyme scheme being ABABCC. This creates a sense of balance and harmony in the poem. The use of metaphors and similes in the poem also adds to its effectiveness. For example, in the second stanza, Herrick compares the passing of time to the flowing of a river, saying "Time's still a-flying: / And this same flower that smiles today / Tomorrow will be dying".

The Theme of the Poem

The theme of the poem is the celebration of life and the importance of living in the moment. Herrick encourages his readers to enjoy life while they still can, to "gather ye rosebuds while ye may". He reminds us that time is fleeting and that we should not waste it. This is a common theme in Herrick's poetry, with many of his poems celebrating the beauty of nature and the joy of living in the present moment.

The poem also highlights the power of poetry to bring joy and happiness. Herrick suggests that reading and writing poetry can help us to appreciate the beauty of life and to find joy in the small things. This is reflected in the final lines of the poem, where Herrick writes "Thus, though we cannot make our sun / Stand still, yet we will make him run". This suggests that although we cannot stop time, we can still find joy and happiness in the present moment through the power of poetry.

Interpretation

"To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses" is a poem that celebrates life and the power of poetry. Herrick encourages his readers to live in the moment, to enjoy life while they still can. He reminds us that time is fleeting and that we should not waste it. This is a message that is still relevant today, as we all struggle to balance work, family, and leisure time.

The poem also highlights the importance of poetry in our lives. Herrick suggests that reading and writing poetry can help us to appreciate the beauty of life and to find joy in the small things. This is a message that is particularly relevant today, as we live in a world where we are often too busy to appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

One could interpret this poem as a call to action, encouraging readers to take time out of their busy schedules to appreciate the beauty of nature and to find joy in the present moment. It is also a reminder that poetry has the power to bring joy and happiness into our lives.

Conclusion

"To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses" is a beautiful poem that celebrates life and the power of poetry. Herrick's use of poetic devices creates a rhythmic flow that is pleasing to the ears, while his use of metaphors and similes adds depth and meaning to the poem. The poem encourages readers to live in the moment, to appreciate the beauty of nature, and to find joy and happiness through poetry. This is a message that is still relevant today and one that we can all learn from. So why not take a few moments to read this poem and see if it brings a little joy and happiness into your life?

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry has always been a medium of expression for human emotions and experiences. It has the power to evoke a range of emotions in the reader and transport them to a different world. One such poem that has stood the test of time is "To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses" by Robert Herrick. This poem is a celebration of life and the power of poetry to bring joy and happiness.

Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English poet who is best known for his collection of poems, "Hesperides." He was a master of the lyrical form and his poems often celebrated the beauty of nature, love, and life. "To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses" is one such poem that captures the essence of Herrick's poetic style.

The poem begins with the line, "I count life just a stuff to try the soul's strength on." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem. Herrick is saying that life is a test of our strength and endurance. It is not meant to be easy, but rather a challenge that we must face head-on. However, he also believes that life is meant to be lived joyfully. He says, "So let us melt, and make no noise, / No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move." Herrick is urging us to live our lives with joy and happiness, without getting bogged down by the difficulties that come our way.

The second stanza of the poem is where Herrick introduces the power of poetry. He says, "An age of pleasures is like a year / Two moments, and a world of tears." Herrick is saying that a life filled with pleasure and happiness is short-lived and can quickly turn into a world of tears. However, he believes that poetry has the power to make those moments of pleasure last forever. He says, "A verse may find him who a sermon flies, / And turn delight into a sacrifice." Herrick is saying that poetry can have a transformative effect on the reader. It can turn a moment of pleasure into a spiritual experience, something that is much more profound and lasting.

The third stanza of the poem is where Herrick celebrates the power of poetry to bring joy and happiness. He says, "Give me a verse, the poet cried, / All other things to me denied." Herrick is saying that even if he is denied all other pleasures in life, a good verse is enough to bring him joy. He goes on to say, "Though silver waters glide and flow, / And the green turf lies bleaching low." Herrick is saying that even if he is surrounded by the most beautiful scenery, it is the power of poetry that brings him true happiness.

The fourth stanza of the poem is where Herrick talks about the power of poetry to transcend time and space. He says, "Let others freeze with angling reeds, / And cut their legs with shells and weeds." Herrick is saying that while others may be content with fishing and other outdoor activities, he finds true joy in poetry. He goes on to say, "O may my muse's flight never be bound, / Nor cramped with saucy yoke and rude." Herrick is saying that he wants his poetry to be free and unrestricted, able to travel wherever it wants and transcend time and space.

The final stanza of the poem is where Herrick sums up his philosophy of life and poetry. He says, "I'll write, because / I only thus can be delivered from the clogs / And fetters of the mind, / Placed there by our own humankind." Herrick is saying that he writes poetry to free himself from the limitations of the human mind. He believes that poetry has the power to transcend those limitations and bring us closer to a higher truth.

In conclusion, "To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses" is a celebration of life and the power of poetry to bring joy and happiness. Robert Herrick believed that life was meant to be lived joyfully, and poetry was the key to unlocking that joy. He believed that poetry had the power to transcend time and space and bring us closer to a higher truth. This poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry and its ability to touch the human soul.

Editor Recommended Sites

Graph Database Shacl: Graphdb rules and constraints for data quality assurance
Container Watch - Container observability & Docker traceability: Monitor your OCI containers with various tools. Best practice on docker containers, podman
Developer Key Takeaways: Key takeaways from the best books, lectures, youtube videos and deep dives
Lift and Shift: Lift and shift cloud deployment and migration strategies for on-prem to cloud. Best practice, ideas, governance, policy and frameworks
ML Ethics: Machine learning ethics: Guides on managing ML model bias, explanability for medical and insurance use cases, dangers of ML model bias in gender, orientation and dismorphia terms

Recommended Similar Analysis

Negative Love by John Donne analysis
Sonnet 20: A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted by William Shakespeare analysis
Imitation by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
Alicia's Diary by Thomas Hardy analysis
Sonnet 19 by John Milton analysis
What Am I, After All? by Walt Whitman analysis
TO THE VIRGINS, TO MAKE MUCH OF TIME by Robert Herrick analysis
Past And Future by Elizabeth Barrett Browning analysis
Enough by Sarah Teasdale analysis
A Passing Glimpse by Robert Lee Frost analysis