Pierre Ronsard was a French poet who lived from 1524 to 1585. Some of his best known works investigate the nature of beauty. In this example, he looks at the beauty of roses.
I send you here a wreath of blossoms blown,
And woven flowers at sunset gathered,
Another dawn had seen them ruined, and shed
Loose leaves upon the grass at random strown.
By this, their sure example, be it known,
That all your beauties, now in perfect flower,
Shall fade as these, and wither in an hour,
Flowerlike, and brief of days, as the flower sown.
Ah, time is flying, lady--time is flying;
Nay, 'tis not time that flies but we that go,
Who in short space shall be in churchyard lying,
And of our loving parley none shall know,
Nor any man consider what we were;
Be therefore kind, my love, whiles thou art fair.
The message here is one we see quite often in poetry. Youth is fleeting. Beauty does not last long. All that is precious right now will fade away. Our deeds and speeches will descend into dust. Therefore, make the most of every day you have while you are here.
I especially like that this poet isn't saying "go party it up" or "land yourself a rich man". Instead, he is letting the lady know that she should be
kind.
July - A Poem A Day
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