All that glitters is not gold,
All sailors this understand best;
Halcyon seas many a secret hold
In their ***** wide as east to west.
The brightest cloud of the sky
Culminates not into rain shower,
But the gloomy unto the human eye,
Her tears dost kiss the garden flower.
The bat flies through the ebony night
Though day is pleasant to behold,
She doth choose never to take flight
For all that glitters is not gold.
© Kikodinho Edward Alexandros,
Los Angeles, Aug 19th 2019.
This aphorism hath been told in many a different way but meaning the same in days even before William Shakespeare by great poets like Geoffrey Chaucer, and later on John Dryden, J.R.R. Tolkien, and many more however 'tis William Shakespeare that gave us that famous line in his play "The Merchant Of Venice"
P.s. In his play, the King of Morocco craved to marry the beautiful Portia but before his wish was to pass, he had to choose one box that bore Portia's portrait hence three boxes were brought unto him: One of gold, the second of silver, and the third of cheap lead. He then chose that of gold only to find there was a scroll with words emblazoned:
O hell! what have we here?
A carrion Death, within whose empty eye
There is a written scroll! I'll read the writing.
All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Had you been as wise as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been inscroll'd:
Fare you well; your suit is cold.
Cold, indeed; and labour lost:
Then, farewell, heat, and welcome, frost!
Portia, adieu. I have too grieved a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus losers part.
P.s.s. Portia's portrait was in the box of cheap lead...Loll.
And yet again, there's one more by J.R.R. Tolkien:
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
Hope thou hast enjoyed mine as well. Besides, unto the east a great day, and unto the west a great night.