TRUE GROWTh

TRUE GROWTh BY BEN JOHNSON 

It is not growing like a tree

In bulk, doth make man better be;

Or standing long an oak three hundred year,

To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:

A lily of a day

Is fairer far in May,

Although it fall and die that night—

It was the plant and flower of light.

In small proportions we just beauty see;

And in short measure life may perfect be.

### Summary

Ben Jonson's poem "True Growth" is a short, ten-line reflection on what constitutes true worth and perfection in life. The poem contrasts two different models of growth: the immense, long-lasting, but ultimately decaying oak tree, and the beautiful, but fleeting, lily. Jonson argues that a long life or a large physical presence ("bulk") does not automatically lead to virtue or a "better" existence. Instead, he suggests that true beauty and perfection can be found in a brief, but brilliant, life—symbolized by the lily, which, though it lives for only a day, is "fairer" and a "flower of light." The poem concludes with the moral that true beauty is found in "small proportions" and that a life, even if short, can be "perfect."

### Analysis

**Theme:** The central theme of "True Growth" is the distinction between quantity and quality. Jonson uses the contrasting metaphors of the tree and the lily to argue that a long, drawn-out life (quantity) is not as valuable as a life that is beautiful, virtuous, and fulfilling, even if it is short (quality). The poem rejects the idea that physical size or longevity are measures of success or goodness.

**Poetic Devices:**

* **Metaphor:** The entire poem is built on an extended metaphor comparing human life to two natural objects. The **oak tree** represents a life that is long-lived and physically imposing but ultimately ends in decay ("dry, bald, and sere"). The **lily** represents a life that is brief but beautiful, pure, and spiritually significant ("the plant and flower of light").

* **Juxtaposition:** The stark contrast between the oak tree and the lily is a powerful use of juxtaposition. The poet places their different life spans and qualities side-by-side to highlight the central argument that a brief, perfect life is superior to a long, unremarkable one.

* **Diction and Archaic Language:** Jonson's use of words like "doth" and "sere" gives the poem a formal, classical tone, fitting for its philosophical message.

* **Rhyme Scheme and Meter:** The poem follows an irregular rhyme scheme (AABBCCDDDD) and a mix of iambic tetrameter and trimeter. This creates a rhythmic flow that is both conversational and thoughtfully structured. The shift to a rhyming couplet at the end reinforces the concluding moral of the poem.

* **Personification:** The tree is personified as "bald," giving it a human-like quality of aging and decay, which makes its end seem more pathetic.

* **Caesura:** The use of the dash in the line "Although it fall and die that night—" creates a pause (caesura), which dramatically emphasizes the suddenness and finality of the lily's death, reinforcing its ephemeral nature.

* **Imagery:** Jonson uses clear and vivid imagery to paint pictures of both the decaying tree and the beautiful lily, making the abstract philosophical argument more concrete and relatable for the reader.

Overall, "True Growth" is a concise and elegant poem that challenges conventional ideas about success and longevity, proposing that true perfection lies not in the length of one's life, but in the beauty and virtue one embodies while living it.