June 3, 2013

When Stretch’d on One’s Bed

By Joe

When Stretch’d on One’s Bed

By Jane Austen

When stretch’d on one’s bed
With a fierce-throbbing head,
Which preculdes alike thought or repose,
How little one cares
For the grandest affairs
That may busy the world as it goes!

How little one feels
For the waltzes and reels
Of our Dance-loving friends at a Ball!
How slight one’s concern
To conjecture or learn
What their flounces or hearts may befall.

How little one minds
If a company dines
On the best that the Season affords!
How short is one’s muse
O’er the Sauces and Stews,
Or the Guests, be they Beggars or Lords.

How little the Bells,
Ring they Peels, toll they Knells,
Can attract our attention or Ears!
The Bride may be married,
The Corse may be carried
And touch nor our hopes nor our fears.

Our own bodily pains
Ev’ry faculty chains;
We can feel on no subject besides.
Tis in health and in ease
We the power must seize
For our friends and our souls to provide.

I find this poem tells us a message which is known to us but yet eludes us most of the time. We are so enraptured in our day to day activities that we tend to forget that our energy, strength and inspiration are drawn not by striving or pushing ourselves harder and harder but by the simple act of keeping ourselves healthy and mentally relaxed so that we can be our optimum selves. It is then that we can do the most meaningful things in life – helping ourselves and others. As the lines say: 

Tis in health and in ease 
We the power must seize 
For our friends and our souls to provide. 

As the poet tells us ironically such a lesson is taught to us over and over again not in the excitement and din of daily live but when one is going through pain.  I know how she felt, as I am suffering from one of those dreadful summer colds.  The more I cough, the more I feel that “fierce-throbbing head.”

Share this:

• X
• Facebook

Like Loading...

About Joe

I began my life in the South and for five years lived as a closeted teacher, but am now making a new life for myself as an oral historian in New England. I think my life will work out the way it was always meant to be. That doesn't mean there won't be ups and downs; that's all part of life. It means I just have to be patient. I feel like October 7, 2015 is my new birthday. It's a beginning filled with great hope. It's a second chance to live my life…not anyone else's. My profile picture is "David and Me," 2001 painting by artist Steve Walker. It happens to be one of my favorite modern gay art pieces. View all posts by Joe

This entry was posted on Monday, June 3rd, 2013 at 12:33 pm and posted in Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

---

2 responses to “When Stretch’d on One’s Bed”

• silvereagle
  June 4th, 2013 at 10:02 am

  Tis in health and in ease We the power must seize For our friends and out souls to provide……Yes…Man shall not live alone and without friends to support in every manner….We all depend on the strength we receive from contact with others in a day to day life. Friendship with others gives us strength in the good times and in the bad.Wonder if Jane Austen ever thought of a photo of an attractive young man in bed being used with her poetry??? Bet she might have!!!

  Reply
• Jay M.
  June 4th, 2013 at 8:27 pm

  Vey cool. I like it when the poetry speaks to me!Peace <3Jay

  Reply