I WHISPERED, 'I am too young,' And then, 'I am old…
“I WHISPERED, 'I am too young,' And then, 'I am old enough'; Wherefore I threw a penny To find out if I might love. 'Go and love, go and love, young man, If the lady be young and fair.' Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny, I am looped in the loops of her hair. O love is the crooked thing, There is nobody wise enough To find out all that is in it, For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon. Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny, One cannot begin it too soon.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Youthful longing and the paradox of love’s timing, expressed through a penny’s metaphor.
In simple terms: Love is confusing and timeless.
Key Takeaway
Embrace love’s uncertainty.
Themes
love
youth
time
paradox
longing
Mood
melancholic
hopeful
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- first love
- self‑reflection
- creative writing
Key Concepts
romanticism
existential reflection
metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the penny symbolize for you?
- How do you reconcile youthful desire with age?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize pain.