Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae" is a poem by Ernest Dowson, first published in 1896. The poem is often seen as a reflection on the theme of lost love and the passage of time.

The title of the poem comes from a line in the works of the Roman poet Horace, which translates to "I am not as I was in the reign of good Cynara." The speaker begins the poem by recalling his youth and the pleasures of his past. He describes himself as "one with the shadows," suggesting that he is no longer living a full and vibrant life.

The speaker then turns to a memory of a lost love, Cynara, who represents the ideal of beauty and pleasure that he can no longer attain. He describes her as a "queen of far away," suggesting that she is out of reach and unattainable. He longs to return to the days when he was with her, but knows that it is impossible.

The poem ends with the speaker acknowledging the passage of time and the inevitability of his own decline. He suggests that his desires and longings are "dead" and that he is resigned to a life of emptiness and longing. The final lines of the poem, "I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind," suggest that the speaker has lost even the memory of his lost love, and that he is now truly alone.

Overall, "Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae" is a powerful meditation on the theme of lost love and the passage of time. The poem is characterized by a sense of melancholy and longing, and the speaker's resignation to the inevitability of his own decline. The poem has been celebrated for its powerful imagery and its vivid evocation of the human condition.

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