Carpe Diem Poetry Seize the Day Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem Poetry: Seize the Day!

Carpe Diem Ø Literally means, “pluck the day” as in “plucking” or pulling flowers Ø Get it? Gather moments in life like you would gather flowers? Ø But remember, these moments don’t last long; flowers cut off from the roots die soon…

Origins Attributed to the ancient Roman poet Horace, 65 B. C. E. Ø Composed a book of poems entitled “Odes” Scale back your long hopes Ø to a short period. While we speak, time is envious and is running away from us. Seize the day, trusting little in the future.

Other Versions of This Same Theme Ø “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we will die. ” --biblical reference (Isaiah) Ø "collige, virgo, rosas" appears in a Virgil (another classical Roman poet) poem, meaning "gather, girl, the roses. "

Carpe Diem Defined… Ø What is one of the original purposes of language? Ø To women… Ø Woo means to convince or persuade; in the Renaissance, the purpose of a carpe diem poem was to persuade a young woman to make love…

Carpe Diem (poetic sense) ØA poem intended to persuade a young woman to become a lover by convincing her that time (and most usually her beauty) is fleeting (quickly disappearing).

Another Approach… Ø “Other approaches to carpe diem encourage the reader to transcend the mundane, recognize the power of each moment, however brief, and value possibility for as long as possibility exists. ”—Academy of American Poets

Modern/Contemporary Approach Ø Because carpe diem begins with the premise that life is short, modern readers see this as “possibility” but also “futility” (pointlessness)

Existentialism Ø In the literary world, when life is seen as pointless and useless, we have entered the school of existential thought (existentialism) Ø Life in this world is a big “so what? ” Life is short and doesn’t matter, so “who cares? ”

Grown Up Definition Ø The existential dilemma suggested by carpe diem includes a sense of helplessness and senselessness, sentiments which are often expressed in a poet's resignation to a life filled with inexplicable losses and hardships. —Academy of American Poets