When I was One-and-Twenty: A Tribute to A. E. Housman's Beloved Poem

Lately, on Saturday nights, I look forward to watching old episodes of the original Twilight Zone on our local public broadcasting station. One particular episode was about a dear old literature professor who mistakenly thought that his long career had made no impact on the lives of the many young men that had passed through his classroom doors.

I won't give the episode away, but it is a typical, enlightening Rod Serling tale! What remained with me for days after, however, was a particular poem that the dear old professor is heard reciting to his pupils during the beginning of that particular Twilight Zone episode.

He began, "When I was one-and-twenty....." The poem was so lovely, I sat mesmerized, listening to the professor recite it. Afterwards he mentioned the poet's name. I stored both the poem and the name in the back hallways of my mind.

Today, certainly three or so weeks after seeing the Twilight Zone episode in which the lovely poem was introduced to me, I decided to look it up on the internet. Believe it or not, I typed (in quotes) in the search engine box, "When I was one and twenty" and several reference sites immediately popped up, listing A.E. Housman (1859-1936) as the author. I was elated! For those of you who have never read this beautiful poem, I've reprinted it below in its entirety:

"When I was one-and-twenty

I heard a wise man say,

'Give crowns and pounds and guineas

But not your heart away;

Give pearls away and rubies

But keep your fancy free.'

But I was one-and-twenty,

No use to talk to me.

When I was one-and-twenty

I heard him say again,

'The heart out of the bosom

Was never given in vain;

'Tis paid with sighs a plenty

And sold for endless rue.'

And I am two-and-twenty,

And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true."

I am certainly much older than "one-and-twenty", but I love this beautiful poem and the snapshot of human nature at different ages that it embodies so well. Nobody could tell me anything at age twenty-one. I already knew everything then! (Funny how I feel that I know much less now than I thought I did then.)

As for heartache, well, who among us hasn't encountered it along life's long and unpredictable road? Again, A. E. Housman captures such a bittersweet but universally human experience in this wonderful poem. After reading it, I just shake my head in understanding and sympathy. Don't you? We've all been there, but A. E. Housman masterfully captures the moment with extraordinary eloquence.

I don't know how they did it, but there is actually a You Tube video of A. E. Houseman himself reciting this wonderful poem. You can see it for yourself here . I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Sources:

1. Serling, Rod. 1962. "The Changing of the Guard," Twilight Zone episode.

2. Housman, A. E. 1896. "XIII. When I was one-and-twenty. A Shropshire Lad," Bartleby.com.