The concept of time, often symbolized as the “clock of life,” is a recurring theme in poetry. Time, in its steady march, has fascinated poets for centuries, who have sought to capture its passing and the impact it has on human existence. The “clock of life” not only signifies the passage of time but also reflects the ephemeral nature of life itself. In this article, we explore 12 famous poems that address the clock of life, offering insights into the human condition, the inevitability of death, and the urgency to live with purpose.
1. To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick (1648)
The timeless poem “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick encourages readers to seize the day, making full use of their fleeting time on Earth. Herrick presents time as something that waits for no one, urging young people to enjoy their youth while it lasts.
Excerpt:
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
Analysis:
The “rosebuds” serve as a metaphor for youthful beauty and potential, which are quickly fading, just as flowers bloom and wilt within a short span. Herrick uses the “clock of life” to convey the inevitability of aging and death. By advising the reader to “gather rosebuds while ye may,” he emphasizes the urgency of living fully in the present. Time, represented as “Old Time,” is always advancing, making the “clock of life” an ever-present force that reminds us of our mortality.
2. Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1818)
Shelley’s “Ozymandias” reflects on the transience of life, power, and legacy, making it a fitting meditation on the “clock of life.” The poem tells the story of a traveler who encounters a broken statue of a once-great king, Ozymandias, whose power and pride have crumbled with time.
Excerpt:
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Analysis:
The “clock of life” is evident in the fall of Ozymandias, whose once-proud empire has disappeared into the sands of time. The message carved into the pedestal—”Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair”—now rings ironically as the remnants of the statue lie in ruin. Shelley captures the ultimate futility of human pride and achievement in the face of time’s relentless passage. The “clock of life” ticks away, indifferent to human ambition.
3. The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)
Edgar Allan Poe‘s “The Raven” explores themes of death, time, and the haunting memory of lost love. The clock of life is prominent here, as the narrator grapples with the passage of time and the inevitability of his grief.
Excerpt:
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”
Analysis:
Throughout the poem, the narrator is tormented by the clock of life, unable to escape the memories of his lost Lenore. The raven, a symbol of death and time, perches upon the narrator’s chamber door and echoes the word “Nevermore,” emphasizing the permanence of time’s passage and the unchanging nature of death. Poe’s choice of a raven—a bird often associated with omens and the passing of time—underscores the inevitability of life’s end and the emotional weight that time brings.
4. To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell (1681)
In “To His Coy Mistress,” Andrew Marvell meditates on the fleeting nature of time and love. He argues that, were time not so limited, he would take a lifetime to woo his mistress, but because time is fleeting, they must seize the moment.
Excerpt:
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires, and more slow.
Analysis:
Marvell uses the metaphor of time to illustrate the urgency of seizing love and passion in the face of life’s brevity. The “clock of life” is ticking, and the poet’s plea to his lover is to act before time runs out. The reference to the “Flood” and “conversion of the Jews” indicates that such an idealized scenario would span beyond the normal constraints of life, but the reality of the clock of life means that time is finite. Marvell urges his mistress to embrace love now, while they still have the time.
5. Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1833)
Tennyson’s “Ulysses” explores the theme of time through the eyes of an aging Ulysses, who, despite his advancing age, refuses to stop striving and seeking adventure. The “clock of life” in this poem represents both the passage of time and the indomitable human spirit.
Excerpt:
It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
Analysis:
In “Ulysses,” the “clock of life” ticks relentlessly forward, and Ulysses refuses to be bound by his old age. He acknowledges the passing of time but seeks to defy it by continuing his journey and thirst for knowledge. The “clock of life” here is not a symbol of resignation but one of persistent willpower, as Ulysses desires to continue living fully, even in his old age. His declaration, “It little profits that an idle king…,” reflects his dissatisfaction with the complacency that time has brought, and his desire to live with purpose until the end.
6. When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats (1893)
William Butler Yeats’ poem “When You Are Old” is a poignant reflection on the passing of time and the inevitable aging of the human body. The “clock of life” is present here as Yeats reflects on love and loss.
Excerpt:
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
Analysis:
Yeats addresses his beloved in the future tense, imagining her aging and recalling their past love. The “clock of life” in this poem is embodied in the passage of time that transforms the human form. The reference to “Love fled” suggests that time’s passage has taken away the vitality of youth, leaving only memories. Yeats captures both the beauty and sadness of time’s effect on life and love.
7. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot (1915)
In T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the passage of time and the clock of life are central themes. The poem’s narrator, Prufrock, is paralyzed by indecision and self-doubt, and he reflects on the passage of time as it affects his sense of self.
Excerpt:
And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window panes;
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
Analysis:
Prufrock’s obsessive thoughts about time and his own inadequacies highlight the tension between his desires and the realities of the “clock of life.” The repeated phrase “there will be time” suggests his procrastination and fear of acting before time runs out. The passage of time, in Prufrock’s case, is not liberating but a source of anxiety. The “clock of life” here signifies a sense of wasted opportunity and the fleeting nature of human existence.
8. A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne (1611)
John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” explores the theme of separation and the passage of time, contrasting the eternal nature of love with the temporary absence of the lover.
Excerpt:
Moving of the earth brings harms and fears,
Men reckon what it did and meant,
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.
Analysis:
Donne uses the “clock of life” to describe the contrast between the transient physical world and the eternal, spiritual nature of love. Time and its passing are significant, but Donne argues that love transcends time. The “trepidation of the spheres” represents cosmic time, far grander than human time but ultimately innocent. In this way, Donne suggests that while life may be finite, love is eternal and unaffected by the “clock of life.”
9. The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost (1916)
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost contemplates the choices we make in life and the way those choices are affected by the passage of time. The poem reflects on the journey of life and the irreversibility of decisions.
Excerpt:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Analysis:
Frost’s poem addresses the concept of time as it shapes our decisions and lives. The “clock of life” is implicit in the speaker’s choice between two paths, reflecting the idea that time moves forward, and once a decision is made, it cannot be undone. The passage of time leads to reflection, and in the future, the speaker imagines looking back on his choice and wondering about the other path, showing how time irrevocably alters life’s course.
10. Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost (1923)
In “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” Frost explores the fleeting nature of beauty, youth, and life itself. The poem uses the imagery of spring and nature to symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of change.
Excerpt:
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Analysis:
The poem reflects the “clock of life” through its depiction of the transient nature of beauty and youth. The “first green” of nature represents the early, fleeting moments of life, which, like youth, quickly fade. Time is ever-advancing, and nothing in life is permanent. The “clock of life” serves as a reminder of both the beauty and brevity of existence.
11. Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas (1951)
Dylan Thomas’ famous villanelle, “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” powerfully conveys the inevitability of death and the desire to resist its approach, making it a fitting reflection on the “clock of life.”
Excerpt:
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Analysis:
Thomas emphasizes the passing of time and the inevitability of death through the “clock of life,” but he urges a defiance of it. The repeated line, “Do not go gentle,” expresses the human desire to live life with vigor, resisting the gentle passing of time. The “clock of life” is merciless, but Thomas calls for resistance, encouraging readers to fight against time’s fading light.
12. The Time You Won’t Have by Rainer Maria Rilke (1903)
Rilke’s “The Time You Won’t Have” is a reflection on the fleeting nature of time and the moments that escape us. The poem meditates on how time slips away, never to return.
Excerpt:
The time you won’t have is the time you were given,
Unfolding itself like a flower in the sun.
Analysis:
In this brief, poignant poem, Rilke reflects on the fragility of time. The “clock of life” is presented as both a gift and a curse, as we cannot hold onto time once it has passed. The image of a “flower in the sun” suggests that time, like a bloom, is beautiful but fleeting. The poem invites readers to appreciate time while they have it, aware of its impermanence.
Conclusion
The “clock of life” is a powerful metaphor that highlights the transient nature of time and the inevitability of change. From Herrick’s call to seize the day to Thomas’ defiant rage against death, these twelve poems offer a spectrum of reflections on how time shapes human existence. Whether through youth, aging, or death, the clock of life reminds us that time is both a precious gift and a relentless force. Through poetry, we gain a deeper understanding of how time affects our lives, pushing us to live fully, cherish the present, and face the inevitable passage of time with courage and grace.
