what does this poem mean? please help!!?

Question

“You Think, Perhaps, that You Will Live Forever”
By William Byrd



You think, perhaps, that you will live forever,
For death, still out of sight, is out of mind.
Or pain, perhaps, is destined for another,
And anything that's broken soon will mend.

You seek the ecstasy in every moment,
Not caring what the consequence may be,
Yearning for the black, tormented torrent
That twists beneath the border of your day.

You plunge and plunge again, and still don't drown,
Belying all the warnings that you've heard.
Joy fills you to the marrow of your bones,
And all but what you hunger for seems dead.

But all things have a price, as you will learn
Too late, when life presents you with the bill;
And you will die too early, or in pain
Live on with wounds that never wholly heal.

Oh, children full of passion and desire,
Unwilling to mature before you choose!
Remember there is wisdom in your fear,
And reason to think well what you may lose.

Answer 1

In the first part of the poem the author is saying that this person thinks that they will live forever because as long as the thought of dead is out of sight and out of mind it can't happen and if anything does happen to them it will heal and it will be okay. Basically nothing bad can happen to this person, maybe to somebody else but not them.
In the second part, the author talks about how this person lives for the moment and doesn't really think about the consequences of his/her actions.
In the third part though, the author tells how their is a price and consequence for all of your actions. What you do today will affect you tomorrow and eventually living in the moment and not caring about consequences could hurt you later on either physically or emotionally. And these emotional or physical scars may never heal.
In the last part he talks about how young people are unwilling to mature and grow up before making choices in life. Think well about what you have to lose and what kinds of choices you make in life.

Answer 2

The speaker seems to be describing the risky life style of modern day teenagers. The speaker talks about someone who just dives right in, and takes chances, with out thinking about what might happen because death just doesn't seem like a possibility. A lot of teenagers don't think they can die, they just started life, so they do stupid stuff. And the second to last two stanza says that teenagers can die, and many do for reckless behavior, or they get injuries that stick with them forever. The last one is saying that teenagers rebel and don't want to grow up, and that they have the ability to but they choose not to, they know the dangers, but they don't think of what they're going to lose.

Answer 3

essentially, that young people think bad things will not happen to them. They will not die, nor kill if they drink and drive. They won't get hooked or die because they use drugs. Bad things happen to others. If they do get hurt, it is temporary, a broken bone. They don't see that it could have easily been brain damage or a broken spine, things that don't heal. It is the curse of youth to see the havoc wreaked on others in the world and be able to say, "That won't happen to me!"

If you need stanza by stanza let me know.

Answer 4

It means to follow hard after wisdom because that is the true key to wealth, health and happiness. When we allow our lives to be guided by our human emotions rather than our intellect we are headed for disaster. Our feelings can be tremendously powerful but we must not let them control our destinies.

"Pleasure" is a reckless driver who can destroy anyone willing to ride with him. Be smart and live well.

Answer 5

Sounds like a preachy poem about overcoming life's problems, and enjoying life's fun parts.

Answer 6

listen, learn, and grow from today's experiences and don't take tomorrow for granted. Life goes fast and is not a given.

Answer 7

It means that you will live forever. suyi

Answer 8

treasure ur life (i think)
everything isn't so simple
u only live once!