Of Arabic and Persian lore,
Collecting tales unknown and known;
Now two and sixty years are flown.
Regret, and deeper woe of sin,
'Tis all that youth has ended in,
And I with mournful thoughts rehearse
Bu Táhir Khusrawán i's verse:
'I mind me of my youth and sigh,
Alas for youth, for youth gone by!'
“Youth is wasted on the young.” (George Bernard Shaw). Youth is an idea that is accepted by most, and they all believe that youth shouldn't be wasted. Among those with this belief is Hakiīm Abu'l-Qāsim Ferdowsī Tūsī Firdowsi, better known as Ferdowsi. In his poem, Alas For Youth, he talks of his regret of his youth that has ended.
Ferdowsi says his youth is a youth that has ended with "Regret, and deeper woe of sin,". His youth has gone by and he hadn't had the time to cherish it for what it was until he was older. Alas for Youth conveys a message, a message deeper than what meets the eye. Ferdowsi wants everyone to look at this and understand that youth is a precious time when you have the capability to do things that aren't sensible for an older person to accomplish. He wants you to know that your youth shouldn't be a time where you look back and regret that it is over, but a time where you look back and feel good about what you accomplished when it was the right time.
"Collecting tales unknown and known;/Now two and sixty years are flown" is only one example of the appealing rhyming scheme used within the poem. The scheme using within this poem is one that is referred to as couplet rhyming, where every pair of lines rhyme. This method provides a nice sound to the poem, which makes each line flow into the next one easily. Within the lines of rhyme, the author's tone is seen as unhappy and somewhat miserable. This is apparent through words like "regret", "mournful", and "deeper woe of sin". The author gracefully and sorrowfully conveys this message of the grief that he felt when he realized that his youth was over.
Alas for Youth is an old and memorable poem that tells of how your youth is better than any other time and that it should not be wasted, but always filled with happiness and joy, not sorrow, nor regret.
Ferdowsi says his youth is a youth that has ended with "Regret, and deeper woe of sin,". His youth has gone by and he hadn't had the time to cherish it for what it was until he was older. Alas for Youth conveys a message, a message deeper than what meets the eye. Ferdowsi wants everyone to look at this and understand that youth is a precious time when you have the capability to do things that aren't sensible for an older person to accomplish. He wants you to know that your youth shouldn't be a time where you look back and regret that it is over, but a time where you look back and feel good about what you accomplished when it was the right time.
"Collecting tales unknown and known;/Now two and sixty years are flown" is only one example of the appealing rhyming scheme used within the poem. The scheme using within this poem is one that is referred to as couplet rhyming, where every pair of lines rhyme. This method provides a nice sound to the poem, which makes each line flow into the next one easily. Within the lines of rhyme, the author's tone is seen as unhappy and somewhat miserable. This is apparent through words like "regret", "mournful", and "deeper woe of sin". The author gracefully and sorrowfully conveys this message of the grief that he felt when he realized that his youth was over.
Alas for Youth is an old and memorable poem that tells of how your youth is better than any other time and that it should not be wasted, but always filled with happiness and joy, not sorrow, nor regret.