Life (Charlotte Bronte, 1816-1854)

Life, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily,
Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily
Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O'er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!


#12:

In reading this poem for the first time, not only did it resonate strongly with me, but I was struck that a woman in the mid 1800s had the same outlook on life and seemingly the same optimistically realistic personality that I do. You see, I call myself an optimistic realist, because I’m an optimistic person, but within the bounds of reality. Basically, I have a generally happy disposition, but I’ve managed to keep my feet on the ground. In keeping with my positive outlook, the poem says, “if the shower will make the roses bloom, / O why lament its fall?” which reminds me of my favorite saying “for every cloud there is a silver lining”. It seemed that the saying that I know is the modern version of what Bronte states. Funny as it may seem, I found my self nodding with every line and every phrase of encouragement to enjoy life, every sentence in perfect accord with my personal outlook on life. Perhaps, I thought while reading it, I’ve finally found someone like me who can concisely express what the both of us feel. I’m still amazed that 192 years later, Charlotte Bronte’s poem about life and hope is still applicable and relatable, still resonating with me and what I’ve know about myself and life for a long time.