Analysis of "To The Virgins, To Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick (Blog #7)

The title suggests that the poem might be a letter or an address to virgins in general. The speaker is offering advice to utilize their time wisely. Virgins could also be interpreted as young folk, maybe as children, and the poem/poet is advising them to be cherish their time as young people. In its most basic form, the poem can be paraphrased as: Collect your rosebuds now, old time is still passing, and this flower may be in bloom now, but tomorrow it will be dying. As the sun rises higher, the sooner it is setting. Youth is great and new and wonderful, but time damages youth. Don't play and use your time, marry now while you still can, because you may regret not doing so once you age greatly.

The poet uses metaphors, imagery, symbolism, and personification to amplify the meaning of the poem. "Flying time" and "glorious lamp of heaven, the sun" are metaphors that solidify and strengthen the message of the poem (utilize time). "Gather ye rosebuds" and "glorious lamp of heaven" (again) are great uses of imagery that help the reader to imagine the images the speaker has in mind when delivering their message. The imagery stimulates the sense of sight so that the reader is submerged into the poet's mind. The language revolving around the sun, "the glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, the higher he's a getting, the sooner will his race be run, and nearer he is to setting" is symbolic to the sun's phases throughout the day. The sun becomes more human because the language personifies it (running a race). 

The speaker is very matter-of-fact, almost as if they know what they're saying to be absolutely true. Their message to virgins is important to them, and important to the person(s) they are addressing it to. The speaker is almost indifferent to time and aging, they just accept it as a fact of life. I think there might be a shift in the final stanza, "then not be coy, but use your time". It serves as a final piece of advice to reiterate the depth of the message (USE YOUR TIME WISELY!). 

After closer examination, the title could be to anyone who is still young and naive, who doesn't believe that time will catch up to them. The poem is a warning, and strict message, that emphasizes the importance of utilizing youth and time, The poem is about good things coming to an end (nature, the sun, youth). Time is precious and shall not be wasted.

This is a poem I wish I could send my younger self. Freshman Sarah wasted a lot of time doing homework, school work, and worrying about things that didn't need the extra thought. I wish I would have spent more time with my grandparents before they died, I wish I would have spent more time with my friends before I went to high school, I wish I would have spent more time enjoying my time than worrying about it. Carpe diem, seize the day.