Author: Matthew Arnold

---

'Tis death! and peace, indeed, is here,
And ease from shame, and rest from fear.
There's nothing can dismarble now
The smoothness of that limpid brow.
But is a calm like this, in truth,
The crowning end of life and youth,
And when this boon rewards the dead,
Are all debts paid, has all been said?
And is the heart of youth so light,
Its step so firm, its eye so bright,
Because on its hot brow there blows
A wind of promise and repose
From the far grave, to which it goes;
Because it hath the hope to come,
One day, to harbour in the tomb?
Ah no, the bliss youth dreams is one
For daylight, for the cheerful sun,
For feeling nerves and living breath,
Youth dreams a bliss on this side death.
It dreams a rest, if not more deep,
More grateful than this marble sleep;
It hears a voice within it tell:
Calm's not life's crown, though calm is well.
'Tis all perhaps which man acquires,
But 'tis not what our youth desires.

---

Type of Poem: Reflective Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem grapples with the themes of death, youth, and the dichotomy between life's struggles and the peace found in eternal rest. The tone is contemplative, marked by a sober reflection on the inevitability of death and the true desires of youth. The poem's structure, skillfully employing a consistent rhyme scheme, guides the reader through a progression of thoughts, from the calm of death to the vibrant desires of life.

A striking feature of the poem is its use of vivid imagery and metaphors, such as "The smoothness of that limpid brow" to illustrate death's tranquility, and the "wind of promise and repose" representing the optimistic outlook of youth. These images create a contrast, highlighting the difference between the serene finality of death and the energetic optimism of youth. The poem suggests that while death offers an end to turmoil, it is not the ultimate goal or desire of youth. Instead, youth yearns for a bliss that is rooted in the living experience, a "bliss on this side death."

Furthermore, the rhetorical questions in the poem provoke thought, inviting the reader to ponder life's meaning and the virtues of calmness versus youth's desires. The poet concludes with a note of wisdom, suggesting that while calmness may be an achievement, it is not necessarily the crown of life as youth desires more than mere tranquility. This nuanced understanding of life and death, youth and calm, is what gives the poem its depth and resonance.