Classic and Contemporary Poetry
GROWING OLD (2), by YUAN MEI First Line: When I was young and had no money to spend Last Line: "to be poor when one is old does not matter at all." Alternate Author Name(s): Tzu-ts'ai Subject(s): Old Age; Property; Possessions | ||||||||
When I was young and had no money to spend I had a passionate longing for expensive things. I was always envying people for their fur coats, For the wonderful things they got to eat and drink. I dreamt of these things, but none of them came my way, And in the end I became very depressed. Nowadays, I have got quite smart clothes, But am old and ugly, and they do not suit me at all. And the choicest foods are on my table; But I only manage to eat a few scraps. I feel inclined to say to my Creator "Let me live my days on earth again, But this time be rich when I am young; To be poor when one is old does not matter at all." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE; CHAMBER AND SOUL by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS FAREWELL TO FARGO: SELLING THE HOUSE by KAREN SWENSON GETTING AND SPENDING by LINDA GREGERSON LEGAL FICTION by WILLIAM EMPSON |
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