6. Summary

The poem 'Life' by Henry Van Dyke revolves around the concept of living one's life to the fullest. The poet says that he wants to take life year after year, indicating that one has to live in the present and take life one thing at a time. No matter what happens, one must have an unreluctant soul that does not easily give up and a face that confidently marches forward. One must believe that everything happens in its own time and should not rush or turn away from one's goals. Life is filled with successes and failures, and it is no use complaining or cribbing about the failures. The past is gone, and one cannot change it. It gets dim as the future nears. One should not hold back in fear thinking about the consequences, rather one should travel forward with a happy heart that stays the same in youth and in adulthood. The journey can be rough or smooth, but that does not matter and can be joyful as long as one focuses on the moment. The poet says that as a boy, he sought trivial and simple things like new friendships, adventure and a crown. He holds on to the courage that this quest gives hopes that the coming days will turn out to be the best.