Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO AN OLD TUNE, by WILLIAM ALEXANDER PERCY Poet's Biography First Line: You cannot choose but love, lad Last Line: Or stab you -- smile, lad, smile. Subject(s): Death; Hearts; Life; Love; Dead, The | ||||||||
You cannot choose but love, lad, From dawn till twilight dreary; You cannot choose but love, lad, Though love grows weary, weary. For, lad, an if you love not, You'd best have slept, unwaking; But, O, an if you love, lad, Your heart is breaking, breaking. Though friends and lovers only Fill life with joyous breath, Yet friend or lover only Can make you pray for death. Throw open wide your heart then, Love's road-house for a mile! And if one turns to leave you Or stab you -- smile, lad, smile. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND OVERTONES by WILLIAM ALEXANDER PERCY |
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