O foolish youth. . . . What dost thou gain By following the glittering butterflies And living merely in vain? Why spoil thyself and give thy all To those who only seek New thrills -- new joys And after they are gone You find it mere alloy. Why kiss the lips That have tasted of every drop From the wine dregs of life. Take care . . . O youth! Someday thou shalt have Thy bitter lesson learned. The things which now seem gay Too soon shall fade away Like night into misty day What will you have then. . . . After you have tired of play? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOR ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE by MALCOLM COWLEY THE LIGHT OF OTHER DAYS by THOMAS MOORE THE MEMORY OF THE HEART by DANIEL WEBSTER TRAILING ARBUTUS by HENRY ABBEY EAST AND WEST by MATTHEW ARNOLD |