The phrase “Life is short” (Line 1) opens the poem and is repeated in Lines 2 and 10. This theme of the shortness of life reverberates throughout the poem. Speaking as a parent, the speaker knows more about life and the world than their young children just discovering life, and who have yet to discover the world’s dangers, corruption, and shortcomings. Slightly jaded with experience, the speaker sees the world and life for what it is: a difficult place to exist due to the crime, violence, sadness, and troubles permeating what otherwise would be a beautiful place.

As a theme, the briefness of life comments on several ideas. First, it hinges on how fast children grow up, leave childhood behind, and enter the dangers of the adult world. Second, this theme demonstrates how soon the speaker (as a parent) will be unable to protect their children from the terribleness of the world; yet, as a parent, they will always be responsible for the children they brought into the world. Third, this theme hints at the possibility that there is not enough time to fix the problems of the world.

In Line 10 the phrase is repeated, followed by another phrase that’s repeated multiple times throughout the poem: “Life is short and the world / is at least half terrible” (Lines 10-11).