On Time by John Milton | On Time | John Milton | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
On Time
Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race,
Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,
Whose speed is but the heavy Plummets pace;
And glut thy self with what thy womb devours,
Which is no more than what is false and vain,
And merely mortal dross;
So little is our loss,
So little is thy gain.
For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb’d,
And last of all, thy greedy self consum’d,
Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss
With an individual kiss;
And Joy shall overtake us as a flood,
When every thing that is sincerely good
And perfectly divine,
With Truth, and Peace, and Love shall ever shine
About the supreme Throne
Of him, t’whose happy-making sight alone,
When once our heav’nly guided soul shall clime,
Then all this Earthy grossnes quit,
Attir’d with Stars, we shall for ever sit,
Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee O Time.
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On Time by John Milton Analysis
Line 1: Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race,
Explanation: The speaker is addressing Time, urging it to hasten its passage. They use the word “envious” to suggest that Time is jealous of the eternal nature of the human soul.
Line 2: Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,
Explanation: The speaker is calling upon the hours to move more quickly. They use the phrase “leaden-stepping” to suggest that the hours are slow and heavy.
Line 3: Whose speed is but the heavy Plummets pace;
Explanation: The speaker is comparing the speed of the hours to a plummet, which is a weight used to measure the depth of water. They are suggesting that the hours are just as slow and heavy as a plummet.
Line 4: And glut thy self with what thy womb devours,
Explanation: The speaker is telling Time to gorge itself on the things that it consumes. They use the word “devours” to suggest that Time is greedy and insatiable.
Line 5: Which is no more than what is false and vain,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that the only things that Time consumes are false and vain. They are suggesting that Time has no power over true and lasting things.
Line 6: And merely mortal dross;
Explanation: The speaker is continuing to say that the only things that Time consumes are worthless. They use the word “dross” to suggest that these things are scum or refuse.
Line 7: So little is our loss,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that it is not a great loss when Time consumes things that are false and vain. They are suggesting that we should not be afraid of Time.
Line 8: So little is thy gain.
Explanation: The speaker is saying that Time does not gain anything by consuming things that are false and vain. They are suggesting that Time is ultimately powerless.
Line 9: For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb’d,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when Time has consumed all things that are bad, it will finally consume itself.
Line 10: And last of all, thy greedy self consum’d,
Explanation: The speaker is repeating that Time will eventually consume itself.
Line 11: Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when Time is gone, eternity will greet us with bliss. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect happiness.
Line 12: With an individual kiss;
Explanation: The speaker is saying that eternity will greet us with a kiss that is unique to each of us. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect personalization.
Line 13: And Joy shall overtake us as a flood,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that joy will overwhelm us like a flood. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of overwhelming joy.
Line 14: When every thing that is sincerely good
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when we enter eternity, we will be surrounded by everything that is sincerely good. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect goodness.
Line 15: And perfectly divine,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when we enter eternity, we will be surrounded by everything that is perfectly divine. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect divinity.
Line 16: With Truth, and Peace, and Love shall ever shine
Explanation: The speaker is saying that truth, peace, and love will shine forever in eternity. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect light and love.
Line 17: About the supreme Throne
Explanation: The speaker is saying that the supreme throne is the center of eternity. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect order and harmony.
Line 18: Of him, t’whose happy-making sight alone,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that the sight of God alone is enough to make us happy in eternity. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect happiness.
Line 19: When once our heav’nly guided soul shall clime,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when our souls are guided to heaven, we will enter eternity. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect spiritual fulfillment.
Line 20: Then all this Earthy grossnes quit,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when we enter eternity, we will be freed from all earthly grossness. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect purity.
Line 21: Attir’d with Stars, we shall for ever sit,
Explanation: The speaker is saying that when we enter eternity, we will be clothed in stars and sit forever. They are suggesting that eternity is a state of perfect glory.
Line 22: Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee O Time.
Explanation: The speaker concludes the poem by expressing the triumphant feeling of overcoming death, chance, and Time itself. They emphasize the liberation and victory achieved in eternity.
