'The Old' by Robert Service
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Rhymes of a RoughneckOh bear with me, for I am old
And count on fingers five
The years this pencil I may hold
And hope to be alive;
How sadly soon our dreaming ends!
How brief the sunset glow!
Be kindly to the old, my friends:
You'll miss them when they go.I've seen so many disappear
That I can scarce forget,
For death has made them doubly dear
And ripened my regret.
How wistfully I've wished them back,
With cherishing to show
The gentleness I used to lack
In years of long ago.You, young and fit, will falter too,
And when Time's load you bear,
'Twill help if others turn to you
With comforting and car;
With loving look and tender touch . . .
Aye, in their twilight wan
Revere the old - for Oh how much
You'll miss them when they've gone!
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Elegiac Beauty of Robert Service's "The Old"
Have you ever read a poem that just takes your breath away? That leaves you with a sense of melancholic wonder, of awe at the beauty of the world and the passing of time? That's how I feel about Robert Service's "The Old," a haunting elegy for a bygone era.
At its heart, "The Old" is a meditation on the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of life. Service sets the scene with a vivid description of an abandoned homestead, "a roofless house in a battered field / That nobody will repair," but quickly shifts his focus to the "old brown horse" that still grazes in the overgrown pasture. This is where the poem truly comes alive, as Service uses the horse as a symbol of the passing of time and the fleeting nature of all things.
Consider the horse's description: "He's stiff in the joints and he's blind in one eye, / And he scarcely can hear," yet he still carries a sense of nobility and dignity. He's a reminder of the past, of the old way of life that has been lost to modernity. But even as he stands there in the field, fading away, there's a sense of continuity: "He's stood to the storms of a thousand years, / And the world began with his breed."
There's a deep sense of sadness to "The Old," but it's not a hopeless sadness. There's a beauty to the passing of time, to the way that things change and evolve over the centuries. The horse may be old and fading away, but he's still here, a symbol of the past that informs the present. And there's a sense of comfort in that continuity, in knowing that even as things change, there are some things that endure.
Service's language is simple but evocative, painting a vivid picture of the abandoned homestead and the aging horse. Lines like "The summer sun is a gallant knight / With a banner of burnished gold," or "The old brown horse remembers the day / When he was foaled and sold" have a lyrical quality that's both soothing and haunting. And the repetition of certain phrases, like "And the world began with his breed," or "And he scarcely can hear," gives the poem a musicality that's hard to resist.
"The Old" is a poem that rewards repeated readings, as each time you come back to it, you notice something new. Perhaps it's the way that Service uses the symbolism of the horse to comment on the passage of time. Maybe it's the way that he evokes a sense of place and history with his descriptions of the abandoned homestead. Or perhaps it's just the sheer beauty of his language, the way that he captures the essence of a moment with such economy and grace.
Whatever it is that draws you to "The Old," there's no denying the power of Service's elegiac vision. This is a poem that speaks to the soul, reminding us of the transience of life and the beauty of the world around us. And in a world that often seems so chaotic and uncertain, that's a message that we all need to hear.
Interpretation
Robert Service's "The Old" is a poem that uses the symbol of an old brown horse to represent the passage of time and the transience of life. The horse stands in an abandoned field, a reminder of a bygone era, but also a symbol of continuity and endurance.
The language of the poem is simple but lyrical, with evocative descriptions of the abandoned homestead and the aging horse. Service uses repetition to give the poem a musical quality and to reinforce certain themes, like the passage of time or the horse's fading health.
"The Old" is a poem that rewards repeated readings, as each time the reader comes back to it, they notice something new. It's a deeply elegiac work, but also one that offers a sense of comfort and continuity in the face of life's uncertainties.
Overall, "The Old" is a beautiful and haunting work that speaks to the soul, reminding us of the beauty of the world and the inevitability of change.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has the power to transport us to different times and places, to evoke emotions we didn't know we had, and to make us see the world in a new light. Robert Service's poem "The Old" is a perfect example of this power. In just a few stanzas, Service manages to paint a vivid picture of an old man and his life, and to make us feel a deep sense of empathy and understanding for him.
The poem begins with a description of the old man's physical appearance: "Gray is gold in the dimming hair, / And the wrinkles are etched deep with care." Right away, we get a sense of the man's age and the hardships he has endured. But Service doesn't stop there. He goes on to describe the man's eyes as "dim with the mist of a bygone day," and his voice as "quavering with a wistful note." These details give us a sense of the man's inner life, his memories and regrets, and his longing for something that is now out of reach.
As the poem continues, we learn more about the old man's life. He is a farmer, and he has worked hard all his life to make a living from the land. But now, in his old age, he is no longer able to do the work he once did. "He leans on his staff with a weary air, / And gazes out on the fields so fair." The contrast between the beauty of the fields and the old man's weariness is striking, and it reminds us of the passage of time and the inevitability of aging.
But despite his weariness, the old man is not bitter or resentful. He is grateful for the life he has lived, and he takes comfort in the memories of his youth. "He thinks of the days that are past and gone, / Of the joys and sorrows that he has known." This is perhaps the most poignant part of the poem, as it reminds us that even in old age, there is still beauty and meaning to be found in life.
The final stanza of the poem is a tribute to the old man's resilience and strength. "He has lived his life, he has fought his fight, / And he goes to his rest with a heart all right." This is a powerful message, and one that is especially relevant in our modern world, where youth and beauty are often valued above all else. Service reminds us that there is beauty and value in old age, and that we should honor and respect those who have lived long and full lives.
In terms of poetic technique, "The Old" is a masterful example of Service's skill. The poem is written in quatrains, with a consistent rhyme scheme (ABCB). This gives the poem a sense of structure and order, which is appropriate given the subject matter. The language is simple and direct, but also evocative and powerful. Service uses imagery and metaphor to create a vivid picture of the old man and his life, and he does so in a way that is both accessible and profound.
Overall, "The Old" is a beautiful and moving poem that reminds us of the value of age and experience. It is a tribute to the resilience and strength of the human spirit, and a reminder that even in old age, there is still beauty and meaning to be found in life. Robert Service's skillful use of language and imagery make this poem a timeless classic, and a testament to the power of poetry to move and inspire us.
Editor Recommended Sites
Kids Games: Online kids dev gamesCost Calculator - Cloud Cost calculator to compare AWS, GCP, Azure: Compare costs across clouds
Learn to Code Videos: Video tutorials and courses on learning to code
Google Cloud Run Fan site: Tutorials and guides for Google cloud run
Kotlin Systems: Programming in kotlin tutorial, guides and best practice
Recommended Similar Analysis
The Voice by Thomas Hardy analysisSonnet CXVI by William Shakespeare analysis
Guardian -Angel, The by Robert Browning analysis
The Dying Christian To His Soul by Alexander Pope analysis
Numbers by Mary Cornish analysis
Among The Multitude by Walt Whitman analysis
Our journey had advanced; by Emily Dickinson analysis
Death is a Dialogue between by Emily Dickinson analysis
Each And All by Ralph Waldo Emerson analysis
Sonnet 18 by John Milton analysis