The hour of spring was dark at last, sensuous memories of…
““The hour of spring was dark at last, sensuous memories of sunlight past, I stood alone in garden bowers and asked the value of my hours. Time was spent or time was tossed, Life was loved and life was lost. I kissed the flesh of tender girls, I heard the songs of vernal birds. I gazed upon the blushing light, aware of day before the night. So let me ask and hear a thought: Did I live the spring I’d sought? It's true in joy, I walked along, took part in dance, and sang the song. and never tried to bind an hour to my borrowed garden bower; nor did I once entreat a day to slumber at my feet. Yet days aren't lulled by lyric song, like morning birds they pass along, o'er crests of trees, to none belong; o'er crests of trees of drying dew, their larking flight, my hands, eschew Thus I’ll say it once and true... From all that I saw, and everywhere I wandered, I learned that time cannot be spent, It only can be squandered.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Life’s moments cannot be truly spent; they are either lived fully or wasted, prompting reflection on how we engage with time.
In simple terms: Time is lived, not spent.
Key Takeaway
Live fully, avoid waste.
Themes
time
life
reflection
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily routines
- creative projects
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
existentialism
impermanence
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you measure time by activity or feeling?
- What does “living the spring” mean to you?
A Different Perspective
Time can feel wasted despite effort.