| Give to me the life I love,
Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
And the byway nigh me.
Bed in the bush with stars to see,
Bread I dip in the river -
There's the life for a man like me,
There's the life for ever.
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around
And the road before me.
Wealth I seek not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I seek, the heaven above
And the road below me.
Or let autumn fall on me
Where afield I linger,
Silencing the bird on tree,
Biting the blue finger.
White as meal the frosty field -
Warm the fireside haven -
Not to autumn will I yield,
Not to winter even!
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around,
And the road before me.
Wealth I ask not, hope nor love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I ask, the heaven above
And the road below me.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Just remembered this poem from a long time ago. :) |
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2 comments:
I used to love this poem! It has a nice rapid trot like rhythm. Somehow, I am reminded vividly of the vagabound-ish wanderings of David Balfour in the first half of Stevenson's Kidnapped. And on rereading it, I also remembered the haunting lyrics of White as Snow by Bono. http://video.libero.it/app/play?id=73b38149d745a8783a81c4fa3aff2929
@ Nikhil
I "sang" (literally) this poem at a poetry festival some 13 years ago. (Gosh makes me feel so old)..
And I guess I really did not get the "spirit" behind it. But it is good to learn something by heart at a very young age.:)
Everytime I say it to myself I admire the beauty of the thought.
Same as with the Shantimantra of the KaThopanishad. It surprises me everytime I recite it!
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers!
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