Come back again, old heart! Ah me! Methinks in those thy coward fears There might, perchance, a courage be, That fails in these the manlier years; Courage to let the courage sink, Itself a coward base to think, Rather than not for heavenly light Wait on to show the truly right.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Clough urges his heart to rediscover youthful courage to stand for moral truth even when it risks being labeled cowardly.
- In plain terms
- Bring back your courage to choose right over safety even if others call you foolish.
- What can you take from it?
- It takes courage to do the right thing when it might look like weakness.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What courage did you lose as you grew older?
- When is it brave to be gentle?
Another view
It assumes moral clarity is always available when it is often unclear.
More from Arthur Hugh Clough
Truth is a golden thread, seen here and there In small bright specks upon the visible side Of our strange being's party-coloured web.
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