What follows is the passage then the poem.
"And so we should love all of our dear ones, both those whom, by the condition of birth, we hope will survive us, and those whose own most just prayer is to pass on before us, but always with the thought that we have no promise that we may keep them forever -nay, no promise even that we may keep them for long. Often must the heart be reminded - it must remember that loved objects will surely leave, nay, are already leaving. Take whatever Fortune gives, remembering that it has no voucher. Snatch the pleasures your children bring, let your children, in turn, find delight in you, and drain joy to the dregs without delay; no promise has been given you for this night - nay, I have offered too long a respite! - no promise has been given even for this hour."
SENECA: TO MARCIA ON CONSOLATION, x. 3, 4
Fortune's Gifts
So we should love those dearest to our heart,
Both young and old, whose lives we would prolong.
No hope have we that we will never part,
"And so we should love all of our dear ones, both those whom, by the condition of birth, we hope will survive us, and those whose own most just prayer is to pass on before us, but always with the thought that we have no promise that we may keep them forever -nay, no promise even that we may keep them for long. Often must the heart be reminded - it must remember that loved objects will surely leave, nay, are already leaving. Take whatever Fortune gives, remembering that it has no voucher. Snatch the pleasures your children bring, let your children, in turn, find delight in you, and drain joy to the dregs without delay; no promise has been given you for this night - nay, I have offered too long a respite! - no promise has been given even for this hour."
SENECA: TO MARCIA ON CONSOLATION, x. 3, 4
Fortune's Gifts
So we should love those dearest to our heart,
Both young and old, whose lives we would prolong.
No hope have we that we will never part,
None even that we keep them very long.
How often must the heart reminded be
that those we love will surely someday leave?
They are already leaving, don't you see?
For Fortune’s gifts no voucher we receive.
So drain the cup of joy without delay,
No promise has been given for this night.
Nay, I have offered too long a respite!
No promise has been given for this day!
Snatch now the pleasures that your children bring
That through delight in you their hearts can sing!
How often must the heart reminded be
that those we love will surely someday leave?
They are already leaving, don't you see?
For Fortune’s gifts no voucher we receive.
So drain the cup of joy without delay,
No promise has been given for this night.
Nay, I have offered too long a respite!
No promise has been given for this day!
Snatch now the pleasures that your children bring
That through delight in you their hearts can sing!
3 comments:
That is so wonderful!
I believe that the constraint of form adds impact to traditionally-written poetry, and adding in the constraint of subject makes it especially taut and meaningful.
Thanks Judith. I really appreciate your comments.
Wow! Mike that is some excellent work. You should consider doing a whole book of that; I would buy it, and write all kinds of nice things about you on Amazon. Really good stuff, thanks for sharing.
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