Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ADVICE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Traverse not the globe for lore! The sternest
Last Line: But look inwards, and begin to live
Variant Title(s): Advice Against Travel; The Traveller's Guid


Traverse not the globe for lore! The sternest
But the surest teacher is the heart.
Studying that and that alone, thou learnest
Best and soonest whence and what thou art.


Time, not travel, 'tis which gives us ready
Speech, experience, prudence, tact, and wit.
Far more light the lamp that bideth steady
Than the wandering lantern doth emit.


Moor; Chinese, Egyptian, Russian, Roman,
Tread one common downhill path of doom:
Everywhere the names are Man and Woman,
Everywhere the old sad sins find room.


Evil angels tempt us in all places.
What but sands or snows hath Earth to give?
Dream not, friend, of deserts and oäses,
But look inwards, and begin to live.






Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net