LORD BYRON (GEORGE GORDON)
So, we'll go no more a roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.
For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breathe,
And love itself have rest.
Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we'll go no more a roving
By the light of the moon.
Written in 1817
and published posthumously in Letters and Journals of Lord Byron (1830),
Lord Byron's
"So We'll Go No More a Roving" has endured as one of his most popular
short
poems. A reworking
of an old Scottish ballad, it's a farewell
to youthful wildness by a poet
whose youth was
scandalously wild. The "we" of the poem pledge to stop partying all
night
long, but the
pledge sounds wistful—and maybe halfhearted.
"So, we'll go no more a
roving"
·
The speaker
begins by declaring that they and someone else will no longer engage in
late-night adventures or wanderings.
"So late into the night,"
·
They used to go
out into the night until very late.
"Though the heart be still as loving,"
·
Even though
their hearts may still be filled with love and passion,
"And the moon be still as bright."
·
And even though
the moon in the night sky still shines brightly.
"For the sword outwears its sheath,"
·
The speaker uses
a metaphor to convey that just as a sword becomes dull from overuse and wears
out its protective sheath,
"And the soul wears out the breast,"
·
The soul or
inner self also becomes weary or worn from continued experiences and emotions.
"And the heart must pause to breathe,"
·
The heart needs
to take a break or rest,
"And love itself have rest."
·
And love itself
also requires a respite or time to rest.
"Though the night was made for loving,"
·
Despite the fact
that the night is often associated with love and romantic encounters,
"And the day returns too soon,"
·
And even though
the day comes too quickly, ending the nighttime activities,
"Yet we'll go no more a roving"
·
Nevertheless,
the speaker and their companion have decided not to engage in late-night
adventures anymore.
"By the light of the moon."
·
They won't be
guided or inspired by the moonlight for these late-night outings anymore.
In this poem, Lord Byron reflects on the idea that while the night
and its moonlit beauty may inspire love and adventure, there comes a time when
the weariness of life's experiences necessitates a pause and a break from such
activities. The poem expresses a sense of resignation and a recognition of the
need for rest and respite from the intense emotions and experiences associated
with late-night wanderings.
“So We'll Go No More a Roving” Themes
Youth vs. Maturity
Composed when the poet was 29, Lord Byron’s “So We’ll Go No More
a Roving” proclaims the end of a wild phase of youth. It announces that the
speaker (a plural “we”) will stop “roving”—partying and pleasure-seeking—late
into the night, because they feel worn out and in need of rest.
As a kind of elegy for youthful wildness, however, the poem
contains an undertone of regret. The speaker hints that their lust for life
hasn’t gone away, leaving some ambiguity as to whether they’ll actually settle
down for good. Thus, the poem highlights the conflict and poignancy of having
to act like an adult when, inwardly, you still feel the excitement of youth.
The speaker starts by declaring that they'll stop their
late-night partying, suggesting that settling down is a part of growing up. The
opening word “So” stresses that the declaration comes as a consequence of
something. It’s as if the speaker has been forced to a decision (because
they’re getting older and getting tired). The word “roving,” meanwhile,
suggests rowdy late-night activities: partying, seeking sex and romance
(“loving”), etc.
The speaker indicates that all this “roving” has tired out their
body, psyche, and emotions. They haven’t lost all desire for late-night fun,
but for now at least, they can’t pursue it at the same pace. “The sword wears
out the sheath,” the speaker says, winkingly referring to sex (“sword” and
“sheath” suggest the male anatomy and the partner's body) and implying that
they're worn out from sexual adventure. The speaker’s reference to “the soul
wear[ing] out the breast” evokes a kind of spiritual fatigue, too. It might
even suggest the speaker’s awareness of their own mortality, since the soul, in
some traditions, exits the dying body. Finally, the speaker signals their
emotional fatigue by stating that “the heart” sometimes needs a chance to
rest—that it “must pause to breathe.” The word “pause” raises the possibility
that this rest may be temporary.
The speaker’s praise for the pleasures of “the night” adds a
shade of doubt to their insistence that they won’t be “roving” anymore. The
admission that the night is (still) inherently enticing reflects a conflict
between the expectations of maturity and the speaker’s true desires. The two
statements beginning with “Though” stress that the night is just as romantic as
ever—and the speaker’s desire for romance just as strong. The claims that “the
night was made for loving” and “the day returns too soon” have a wistful tone,
signaling the speaker’s lingering fondness for nighttime pleasures. The pledge
to “go no more a roving” brings the poem full circle, but this repetition
suggests that the speaker may still be trying to convince themselves. The
ending illustrates how people can still be tempted by lust and excitement even
when they know they’re “supposed to” settle down.
The poem captures a transitional phase between the end of youth
and the beginning of maturity, whether that maturity is really embraced or not.
As someone who lived fast and ultimately died young, Byron may have been
adapting a traditional ballad theme to his personal situation, admitting that
he needed to quit—or at least pause—his pursuit of nighttime pleasures.
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