That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourish’d by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.
— Shakespeare, Sonnet 73
It’s not so bad, really.
Marcelsays
Seems to me that Toby Young is writing about something singing other than sweet birds.
Keith Humphreyssays
Aardvark: One of my favorite of the bard’s poems; it will resonate eternally.
Personally I think it takes a back seat to “Like as the waves make toward the pebbled shore,” “When I have seen by Time’s fell hand defac’d,” and (my favorite, I think) “Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea.”
NCGsays
As a straight woman, may I say that many men aren’t much good at relationships until they hit middle age. Things could be worse. Do you really want to be 25 forever?
marcelsays
Curious to know how you’ve come to be in a position where you can make such a judgment.
You wouldn’t happen to be the relationship analog of this woman, would you?
NCGsays
It’s a thing called observation, mostly. No doubt there’s a physical aspect too – maybe the fog of too much testosterone lifts a bit.
Anyhow, I’d think it would have been good news.
NCGsays
And you know, I never said women were perfect. But that’s not my problem!
Anomaloussays
Getting old may suck but it beats the altermative. On the other hand, if Mr. Young is in that bad of shape on the south side of 50 I can see why he is so worried.
CharlesWTsays
Yeah, seems like his problems are due more to lifestyle than age.
Black and Blue Man says
Ha, ha, ha, ha! 🙂
PAAAAAAAAAAAAARP!
Excuse me.
Keith Humphreys says
: )
Ebenezer Scrooge says
Age is, alas, a fever chill
That every physicist must fear
He’s better dead than living still
When once he’s past his thirtieth year
-P.A.M. Dirac
Marcel says
Thank you.
Quite timely for me, as I turn 50 (base 11) tomorrow (In a nice trend, next year I turn 40 (base 14)).
Dave Schutz says
I like Mars years, myself
Max Bialystok says
And then the following year, you will turn 10 (base 57), at which point the bases will be loaded.
marcel says
Nah, 10 doesn’t appeal to me. I think I’ll shoot for 30 (base 19). Ah, to be once again in the prime of life.
Aardvark Cheeselog says
That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourish’d by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.
— Shakespeare, Sonnet 73
It’s not so bad, really.
Marcel says
Seems to me that Toby Young is writing about something singing other than sweet birds.
Keith Humphreys says
Aardvark: One of my favorite of the bard’s poems; it will resonate eternally.
Aardvark Cheeselog says
Personally I think it takes a back seat to “Like as the waves make toward the pebbled shore,” “When I have seen by Time’s fell hand defac’d,” and (my favorite, I think) “Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea.”
NCG says
As a straight woman, may I say that many men aren’t much good at relationships until they hit middle age. Things could be worse. Do you really want to be 25 forever?
marcel says
Curious to know how you’ve come to be in a position where you can make such a judgment.
You wouldn’t happen to be the relationship analog of this woman, would you?
NCG says
It’s a thing called observation, mostly. No doubt there’s a physical aspect too – maybe the fog of too much testosterone lifts a bit.
Anyhow, I’d think it would have been good news.
NCG says
And you know, I never said women were perfect. But that’s not my problem!
Anomalous says
Getting old may suck but it beats the altermative. On the other hand, if Mr. Young is in that bad of shape on the south side of 50 I can see why he is so worried.
CharlesWT says
Yeah, seems like his problems are due more to lifestyle than age.