Poem #4

Seventh post:

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Robert Herrick, 1591 - 1674

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
  Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
  Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
  The higher he’s a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
  And nearer he’s to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
  When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
  Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
  And while ye may, go marry;
For having lost but once your prime,
  You may forever tarry.

      Being young and at the age that women would have already be married in the past, it is really rather odd to think of going off and getting married in order to have intercourse. In today’s time we often look at sex as a casual thing, as if it is shaking someones hand. To me it is a much more personal experience that is meant to be shared. I do see how biologically it is necessary and nothing to feel should be a secret, but I also don’t believe that it should be cold like a business transaction. I will be the first to openly admit (because from what I hear some people are ashamed to be virgins) that I am a virgin. I am young and time is passing but I feel no hard, internal drive to sleep with someone. I mean, of course the naturally occurring urges are there and are distracting, but I have control of myself enough to not want to run off to sleep with someone. I especially wouldn’t get married just to do it. Isn’t it sad that in today’s society we think marriage is a bigger deal than sex when in the past it was the other way around? Marriage in itself can’t result in a baby, but sex does whether it be in a marriage or between two strangers “shaking hands”. Anyway, I like the last two lines, “For having lost but once your prime,/ You may forever tarry.” I like these lines because of the feeling it makes me have… I don’t want to be an old woman sitting by a window wishing I had done more with the time I had. It makes me feel a determination to be more and do more. I want to have a fulfilled life, packed with as many experiences and memories as I can fill into my youth. I feel like marriage isn’t something that needs to be rushed. Youth is a time to gather experiences, and honestly we know nothing about relationships or marriage and we are still learning how to make the best decisions for us/our future. When you’re young you don’t have to belong to anyone. You should belong to yourself and be yourself, learn who you are before you become one with someone else.