Section: Reasoning Through Language Arts A
41)
| |
HOW SHOULD WE LIVE OUR LIVES?
BARTER
|
| |
|
| |
Life has loveliness to sell— |
| |
All beautiful and splendid things, |
| |
Blue waves whitened on a cliff, |
| |
Soaring fire that sways and sings, |
| (5) |
And children’s faces looking up |
| |
Holding wonder like a cup. |
| |
|
| |
Life has loveliness to sell— |
| |
Music like a curve of gold. |
| |
Scent of pine trees in the rain, |
| (10) |
Eyes that love you, arms that hold, |
| |
And for your spirit’s still delight, |
| |
Holy thoughts that star the night. |
| |
|
| |
Spend all you have for loveliness, |
| |
Buy it and never count the cost. |
| (15) |
For one white singing hour of peace |
| |
Count many a year of strife well lost, |
| |
And for a breath of ecstasy |
| |
Give all you have been or could be. |
| |
|
| |
—Sara Teasdale
|
The main idea of the poem is to urge us
