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...THE ARAB by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY HAARLEM HEIGHTS by ARTHUR GUITERMAN A SHROPSHIRE LAD: 1. 1887 by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN THE BELLS OF LYNN; HEARD AT NAHANT by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE BANISHED LOVER by ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-MUSTAZHIR |