William Shakespeare poem #9

                            A Madrigal

Crabbed Age and Youth
Cannot live together:
Youth is full of pleasance,
Age is full of care;
Youth like summer morn,
Age like winter weather;
Youth like summer brave,
Age like winter bare:
Youth is full of sports,
Age's breath is short,
Youth is nimble, Age is lame:
Youth is hot and bold,
Age is weak and cold,
Youth is wild, and Age is tame:-
Age, I do abhor thee;
Youth, I do adore thee;
O! my Love, my Love is young!
Age, I do defy thee-
O sweet shepherd, hie thee,
For methinks thou stay'st too long.

      In this poem Shakespeare compares Youth and “Crabbed age” (old age). He describes them as a couple which cannot live together since they are the complete opposites of each other. While Youth is careless, summer-like and healthy, Age is weak, sad and has “short breath”.