So We’ll Go No More Roving by Lord Byron is a very interesting poem that talks about stopping for a moment, and just not doing anything. But it goes deeper than that.
Not only the poet is talking about momentary rests from the day’s work, but also the way people work in life. The poem is a lesson on how to live life the best way.
There is a desire in everyone to live life to the fullest; to not waste even one moment not doing something exciting.
This poem is quite the opposite of the very famous quote “Live life as it was your last day.” Lord Byron says that to enjoy anything, one must pause for a little bit.
Let’s look at the simplified version of the poem and then at the meaning to understand the message and essence of what Lord Byron is trying to convey.
So We’ll Go No More a Roving by Lord Byron
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.
Simplification of the Poem
So we will stop running around in the night for pleasure
Even though the night feels very alive
And our hearts are filled with romantic desires
and the night is inviting, our hearts still racing
Because our body can get tired of the pleasures
Even our souls can be tired of living
And the heart cannot be kept racing all the time
Even undying love must take a rest
Even though the night is the time to love
And it does not last too long
Still, we shall not seek pleasures
Go around wandering by the light of the moon.
Meaning of the Poem
This poem was published after the death of the poet. So it was clear that the hands that wrote this poem were frail, weak, and wrinkled. Lord Byron had met age and understood an important life lesson.
The entire poem is about understanding that pleasure is something that must not be taken incessantly, even though the heart and the mind want to.
The theme of the poem is about understanding how the mind and body can get used to even the most pleasurable experiences and get weary of them.
Of course, the poet is talking about sexual pleasures, but he is also talking about any form of exciting activity that the youth might be attracted to, such as drinking.
Take Some Rest
In a very beautiful way, Lord Byron has explained how you can get tired of the pleasures to a point where none of it matters.
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.
The second stanza is about how the body can only take a limited amount of pleasure before it starts to not feel it.
The phrase “For the sword outwears its sheath” means that since the sword is used more often than the sheath, it loses its sharpness, even though the sword is infinitely stronger than the sheath.
The “sword” is used as a metaphor for our sexual organs. The youth does not care about anything else. Sexual pleasure is the most powerful reason for them to rush at night.
But just like every other pleasure, sexual pleasure is finite. Without proper restraints, the pleasure that comes from it can die out.
Roving at Night
Perhaps the most important phrase to note in the entire poem is “roving at night” and this phrase encapsulates the theme of the poem.
The poet says that one must stop “roving at night.” The term “roving” means to constantly go from one place to another without any apparent purpose; Aimless strolling.
But the phrase gets more of its meaning when you add “night.” Not only one is moving without any direction, but also at night. This “roving at night” is bound to make a person get lost.
The theme ties well with the theme of aimlessly seeking pleasure when one is young and pleasure is the prime decider of the person’s actions.
The Parts of the Poem
There are three stanzas in the poem, and with careful observation, one can see the clear division of these stanzas. Let us show you.
The Advice
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.
The first stanza is the advice that the poet gives to people. Notice how he says “we” instead of me, talking to the readers.
He knows that the heart wants excitement and love even when the day is done and the night is young, the moon is bright and it is only the night when the heart gets excited.
The Reason
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.
The second stanza is the most powerful and important part of the poem. It provides the reason for the advice in the first stanza.
The poet explains that the very body and the soul that keeps you desiring pleasure can wear out, and then take away all the happiness from the things one seeks pleasure from.
He says that it is important to let the heart pause and breath instead of continuously making it beat faster in excitement. Even love that can never feel enough must be given some rest.
The Restrain
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.
The final stanza is about showing restraint. Now that you know why you must not always seek pleasure and excitement, here’s how to do it.
Even though it is the night that is the most exciting and the sun rises too soon, making people get back to work again, one must control themself.
Even after knowing that, stop the aimless wandering in the night without any purpose, just seeking pleasure. The poet asks us to bring stability and control to our lives.
The Essence of the Poem
The essence of the poem is a comparison between the passion of youth and the stability and understanding of maturity.
There should be a balance between excitement and calmness as too much of anything takes away its power. One should not seek pleasure and excitement all the time.
So all the poet is saying is do not be enticed by the night and try to understand which direction you are headed rather than just roving in the night seeking pleasure.
Read more poems by Lord Byron: Stanzas for Music by Lord Byron; Analysis and Meaning