When I was one-and-twenty

by A. E. HOUSMAN (1859-1936)

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;

Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free.’
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
’Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.’
And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true.

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *