If I Could Tell You – W. H. Auden

Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,
If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

…………………………………………………………………

This is a very mysterious poem.

And the poet is being such a tease and rather naughty with his “I told you so”.  Don’t you just hate those people who tell you “I told you so” when they see you are struggling with something?!!!

Time really is the only thing that knows what is ahead of us, what is going to happen.  As much as we want to be able to anticipate the future, we just can’t.  It will happen in its own good time.

I suppose all we can do is study history as they tend to repeat itself, given half a chance.