Her Reply Poem by Sir Walter Raleigh

Her Reply

Rating: 3.1


IF all the world and love were young,
And truth in every shepherd's tongue,
These pretty pleasures might me move
To live with thee and be thy Love.

But Time drives flocks from field to fold;
When rivers rage and rocks grow cold;
And Philomel becometh dumb;
The rest complains of cares to come.

The flowers do fade, and wanton fields
To wayward Winter reckoning yields:
A honey tongue, a heart of gall,
Is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall.

Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses,
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies,
Soon break, soon wither--soon forgotten,
In folly ripe, in reason rotten.

Thy belt of straw and ivy-buds,
Thy coral clasps and amber studs,--
All these in me no means can move
To come to thee and be thy Love.

But could youth last, and love still breed,
Had joys no date, nor age no need,
Then these delights my mind might move
To live with thee and be thy Love.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Taylah Watson 29 May 2009

My poem goes like this It's called 'It's still loading' please load for me and my friends please load and load until the end please load quick and please load fast before my time has past please load, please load for me and my family please load please load before I send this

5 5 Reply
Kevin Straw 29 May 2010

What an impressive figure Raleigh was: to write as well as this, and be a great warrior and courtier. How many modern day soldiers or sailors could turn out such polished art?

6 3 Reply
Thomas Farquhar 22 March 2012

This poem, if I remember my school days correctly, is in fact a response to another poets work and is intended to be tongue in cheek. Nonetheless, on its own it is an excellent piece of work.

5 4 Reply
Ramesh T A 29 May 2010

He makes a clever proposition to be in love with his lady! It is all wonderful to read the description in small stanzas from the beginning to the end! Indeed a very nice poem to read!

5 3 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 31 August 2024

THREE: Congratulations being chosen by Poem Hunter and Team as The Classic Poem Of The Day.5 Stars!

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 31 August 2024

TWO: conveniently glossing over how nothing—not youth, love, nor 'pretty' gifts—can escape the destructive forces of time.

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 31 August 2024

ONE: In this poem, the young woman (now described as a nymph) gives her a reply: an emphatic, resounding no! In her view, the shepherd's vision is totally unrealistic,

0 0 Reply
Michelle Melody 13 May 2024

How poignant 'But Time drives flocks from field to fold; '

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 13 May 2024

Amazing poem, gorgeiously worded, so fantastic to live with thee and be thy love. Beautiful, heavenly! 5 Stars Full

1 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 31 August 2024

CONGRATS being chosen by Poem Hunter and Team as The Classic Poem Of The Day! 5 Stars! Most deserving poem!

0 0
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success