"To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick

As we read this, the very first poem of the semester, I was slightly concerned about how well this course was going to go. I’ve never been particularly good at interpreting or understanding poetry and I always seem to overlook symbols, connotations and other figures of speech. This poem was no exception. The first time I read it, I had no idea what it was about.  As I read it over again and listened to the discussion we had in class, it became apparent that “ye rosebuds” was not describing the bud of flowers, but rather young people. This changed the whole way I was interpreting the poem. Re-reading it again, I noted that the speaker was an older, experienced person warning young people to spend their youth wisely, for they will be old and senile before they know it. The title, “To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time”, shows that the writer is talking to a youthful audience. The word “virgin” is often associated with innocence, being untouched, and not being corrupted by the problems of the world. This term is often associated with young people who haven’t had a chance to be affected by the evilness of the world. The older person is wishing that young people would make the most of their youthfulness, living each moment to the very fullest. I noticed the writer uses personification (giving human qualities to inhuman things) when they talk about the “glorious lamp of heaven”. Who knew this could be talking about the sun? Calling it “he”, the writer says it is racing, which is not something the sun actually does. The writer changes from third person point of view to second person in the last line of the poem, using the word “you”, as if he is talking directly to the audience this was written for. I think this poem was written for young people, as I could connect to what he was saying. In fact, it seemed like very familiar advice. Just graduating from high school, I’ve been told many times by my elders to make the most of my younger days because one day I will wish I could have it back. It is very effective when the writer uses the word “you” because it helps young readers, like myself, to relate to the message he is trying to get across: that is, Carpe Diem, meaning to seize the day and enjoy the present while you can. Overall, I really did enjoy this poem and thought it was a great challenge to begin the semester with.

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