Today some Robert Service. My all time favorite poet. I totally want this poem on my headstone.
Just Think - by Robert Service
Just think! some night the stars will gleam
Upon a cold, grey stone,
And trace a name with with silver beam,
And lo! 'twill be your own.
That night is speeding on to greet
Your epitaphic rhyme.
Your life is but a little beat
Within the heart of Time.
A little gain, a little pain,
A laugh, lest you may moan;
A little blame, a little fame,
A star-gleam on a stone.
- 'The Best of Robert Service'
Have a great weekend, everyone!
visiting via bookblogs from your memes post
ReplyDeleteI like poetry but I don't often search it out. Shame, though because it often moves me more than any book could.
ReplyDeleteJenny, just drop by here on Saturdays and I'll give you your poetry boost for the week.
ReplyDeleteNice to see poetry on the web!
ReplyDeleteI love this poem. We are here on this earth for such a brief time. We should enjoy every moment. I might want this on my headstone too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA simple but powerful visual picture is for us to dwell upon the meaning of life.
ReplyDeleteNot from the beginning but almost at the end Robert Service deepens into the meaning of life by introducing concept of Time: “Within the heart of Time”. He is using capital letter to define Time and therefore Space, and therefore Infinity; giving us a point of perspective of life in order to realise how everything we strive for is in reality - little, little, little, little...
In the beginning he almost pleads to us to think about the day which he kindly reduces from the shocking real definition of death to soft poetic description:
“... some night the stars will gleam
Upon a cold, grey stone,
And trace a name with with silver beam...”
Robert Service puzzles me with his decision to place his conclusion in the middle of his poem:
“Your life is but a little beat...
On the other hand it triggers me to return in the beginning to read again and therefore think: “Just Think!”
Significant! Love it!
My warmest regards,