"When I Was One-and-Twenty" by A. E. Housman

 

When I Was One-and-Twenty

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.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

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Who wrote the poem "When I Was One-and-Twenty"?

Alfred Edward Housman (March 26, 1859 - April 30, 1936)

 

Alfred Edward Housman, better known as A.E. Housman, was a renowned English classical scholar and poet. Despite his significant contributions to poetry, Housman actually spent most of his career as a Latin professor. His most famous work, "A Shropshire Lad," was initially self-published after several publishers rejected it, but it later gained popularity for its exploration of themes like youth, love, and mortality. Housman was known for his meticulousness and precision, often spending years perfecting individual poems.

"When I Was One-and-Twenty" explanation

"When I Was One-and-Twenty" by A.E. Housman is a cautionary tale about the folly of youthful love. The speaker, now 22, reflects on the advice he ignored a year earlier about not giving his heart away, only to realize its truth after experiencing heartbreak. This poem is part of Housman's collection "A Shropshire Lad," published in 1896, which explores themes of youth, love, and mortality, often set against the backdrop of the English countryside. The collection was not initially successful but gained popularity during the Boer War and World War I due to its exploration of young men's experiences.