Read “Time” excerpt on pages How is time viewed in our culture?

Time…  How important is it?  What are our goals for time?  How do we view it?  By what age would you expect to be married?  What is the push for time when having kids?  How is time viewed in light of “carpe diem”?

Read “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” (page 239)  4What does this poem say about the passage of time?  8What event is coming to an end?  9What age is best? Why?  12What does he say about old age?  13What is coyness?  16What will happen if you are beyond your prime?

Read “To His Coy Mistress” (241)  2What does it mean to be coy? Why is it bad?  12What would happen to his love if there was enough time?  16How long would he look at her beauty?  22What does the speaker hear at his back?  25Why won’t her beauty be found?  30Where will they be?  32Who embraces in the tomb? Why not?  37What does he want them to do while they are still young?  46What is the meaning of the last line?

Poetry Questions on page 242  Discuss questions 1-8.  Then, on your own, re-write one of the two poems in your own words. Make sure that your poem is about the same length and a similar message as one of these.  How would you modernize this message? How can these poems still be applicable to us today?