Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


STUDENT SONG by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

Poet Analysis

First Line: THEY SAY THAT AT THE CORE OF IT
Last Line: FOR AS LONG AS WE ARE HERE.
Subject(s): LIFE; REGRET; WISDOM;

THEY say that at the core of it
This life is all regret;
But we've scarce yet learned the lore of it,
We're only youngsters yet.
We only ask some more of it, some more of it,
We only ask some more of it
-- The less we're like to get!

Though ill may be the close of it,
It's fair enough at morn;
And the manner to dispose of it
Is just to pluck the rose of it
When first the rose is born.
Is first to pluck the rose of it, the rose of it, the rose of it,
Is just to pluck the rose of it,
The de'il may take the thorn!

The opinions of the old of it
Depict a doleful land;
For the guide-books that are sold of it,
The ill that we are told of it,
Would make Columbus stand.
But come let's take a hold of it, a hold of it, a hold of it,
But come let's take a hold of it
With Alexander's hand.

When sages call the roll of it
How sad their looks appear!
But there's fire in every coal of it
And hope is in the soul of it
And never a word of fear.
So love we then the whole of it, the whole of it, the whole of it,
So love we then the whole of it
For as long as we are here.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net