The Young Man's Song by W.B. Yeats
The work juxtaposes youthful uncertainty with a mature readiness to embrace love despite its inherent risks. The speaker acknowledges the conflicting impulses of feeling too young yet old enough to love, using the tossing of a small coin as a symbol of chance and fate in romantic pursuits. Love is depicted as an enigmatic, complex force—one that defies complete understanding and rational explanation. Through vivid imagery, such as being "looped in the loops" of a lady’s hair, the poem stresses that love entangles and overwhelms, binding the heart in unexpected ways. The text further explores the paradox of initiating love early; even though one may fear premature involvement, there is also an implicit urgency that one should not delay experiencing its full intensity. The repeated reference to the coin underscores the role of randomness and the interplay between decision and destiny, suggesting that the act of falling in love is both spontaneous and inevitable. Ultimately, the work offers a meditation on the nature of love as a force that is both irresistible and inscrutable. It implies that while wisdom might seek to unravel every facet of love, such complete understanding is impossible—love remains perpetually beyond full grasp, continuously eluding precise definition. The poem captures the tension between the idealism of youth and the sobering realities of emotional commitment, urging an acceptance of love’s unpredictable path as an essential part of the human experience.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1899 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolic Poetry · 176 words
First lines
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.
Oh 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.
What this Textopian page supports
The Young Man's Song is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: W.B. Yeats
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolic Poetry, Folk Poetry
- Length: 176 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Young Man's Song by W.B. Yeats
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — Direct and musical expression of the speaker’s feelings, capturing personal emotion and the immediacy of youthful love.
- Romantic Poetry — Centers on themes of love, passion, and the nuanced experience of youth, echoing core Romantic ideals.
- Symbolic Poetry — Uses tangible symbols such as the penny and hair loops to represent abstract ideas about love and its initiation.
- Folk Poetry — Adopts a straightforward, conversational tone and imagery reminiscent of traditional ballads, making the work accessible.
Tags
romantic · symbolic · lyrical · mystical · mythological · allegorical · spiritual · introspective · visionary · poetic · reflective · nostalgic