Author: William Ernest Henley
When you are old, and I am passed away Passed, and your face, your golden face, is gray I think, whate'er the end, this dream of mine, Comforting you, a friendly star will shine Down the dim slope where still you stumble and stray. So may it be: that so dead Yesterday, No sad-eyed ghost but generous and gay, May serve you memories like almighty wine, When you are old! Dear Heart, it shall be so. Under the sway Of death the past's enormous disarray Lies hushed and dark. Yet though there come no sign, Live on well pleased: immortal and divine Love shall still tend you, as God's angels may, When you are old.
Type of Poem: Rondeau
Date Written:
Date Published:
Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Publisher:
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Comments/Notes: The poem is a heartfelt and contemplative meditation on aging, love, and memory. The speaker addresses a loved one, pondering their shared past and the eventual passing of time. The primary themes include mortality, memory, and the enduring nature of love.
The poem is structured in a rondeau form, a recurring refrain "When you are old," that lends a sense of cyclical inevitability and reflection on the past. The tone is solemn yet comforting, a mixture of melancholy at the prospect of death and reassurance in the continuity of love and memory.
The use of imagery and metaphor is striking. The 'friendly star' shining down the 'dim slope' where the addressed continues to 'stumble and stray' personifies death as a gentle guide, not a harsh end. The 'sad-eyed ghost' of the past is replaced by 'generous and gay' memories, served like 'almighty wine', a symbol of intoxication, joy, and celebration of life.
In the concluding lines, the speaker provides a reassuring affirmation—despite death, the 'enormous disarray' of the past, love persists, tending and caring 'as God's angels may'. This spiritual metaphor elevates love to a divine level, suggesting its unending presence.
Overall, the poem offers a profound reflection on life's inevitable end, the power of memories, and the immortal nature of love, using evocative imagery, rich metaphors, and a reassuring tone to explore these universal themes.