Blog 11--When Maidens are Young

When maidens are young
-Aphra Behn (1640-1689)

When maidens are young, and in their spring,
Of pleasure, of pleasure let'em thake their full swing,
     Full swing, full swing,
And love, and dance, and play and sing,
For Silvia believe it, when youth is done,
There's nought but hum-drum, hum-drum, hum-drum,
There's nought but hum-drum, hum-drum, hum-drum.

"There's nought but hum-drum, hum-drum, hum-drum,
There's nought but hum-drum, hum-drum, hum-drum."
These two lines that are exactly the same, lept out at me because I can relate to them. Who hasn't felt like they are working their life away? Well, the answer is the young. This poem is a warning for "Silvia" to enjoy life while she is young. "And love, and dance, and play, and sing," because "when youth is done," it is nothing but repetitive (the reason why the lines repeat) daily grind. Especially in the era of which this poem was written. I feel like even though this poem was written almost 400 years ago, woman can still relate to it.