Question

lines written in a young lady’s album
by george w. sands
‘tis not in youth, when life is new, when but to live is sweet,
when pleasure strews her starlike flow’rs beneath our careless feet,
when hope, that has not been deferred, first waves its golden wings,
and crowds the distant future with a thousand lovely things; -
when if a transient grief o’ershades the spirit for a while,
the momentary tear that falls is followed by a smile;
or if a pensive mood, at times, across the bosom steals,
it scarcely sighs, so gentle is the pensiveness it feels
it is not then the, restless soul will seek for one with whom
to share whatever lot it bears, its gladness or its gloom, -
some trusting, tried, and gentle heart, some true and faithful breast,
whereon its pinions it may fold, and claim a place of rest.
but oh! when comes the icy chill that freezes o’er the heart,
when, one by one, the joys we shared, the hopes we held, depart;
when friends, like autumn’s withered leaves, have fallen by our side,
and life, so pleasant once, becomes a desert wild and wide; -
as for her olive branch the dove swept o’er the sullen wave,
that rolled above the olden world - its death - robe and its gravel -
so will the spirit search the earth for some kind, gentle one,
with it to share her destiny, and make it all her own!

1. discuss the poem’s central idea. use details from the passage to support your response

Explanation:

The poem's central idea is that the human longing for a loyal, caring companion to share life's joys and sorrows emerges most acutely not in the carefree days of youth, but in times of loss and despair when life's warmth fades.

• In youth, the speaker notes life is "sweet" with pleasure and untested hope; transient griefs are easily soothed, so there is no urgent need for a confidant.
• It is only when "icy chill freezes o'er the heart," shared joys depart, friends vanish like "autumn's withered leaves," and life becomes a "desert" that the spirit, like a dove seeking an olive branch, desperately searches for a "kind, gentle one" to share destiny and provide rest.

Answer:

The poem's central idea is that the deep, urgent longing for a faithful, gentle companion to share all of life's experiences—both gladness and gloom—arises not in the carefree, hopeful days of youth, but in moments of profound loss and despair when life's comforts have faded.

Youth is portrayed as a time of light, transient sorrows: when life is "new," pleasure strews "starlike flow'rs," and even momentary grief or pensiveness is quickly eased, so there is no drive to seek a confidant. But when life's joys depart, friends vanish like "autumn's withered leaves," and life becomes a "desert wild and wide," the spirit, like a dove searching for an olive branch, urgently seeks a trusted heart to share its destiny and find rest in.