Do I Dare...Disturb the Universe?

In the stream of consciousness poem, The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. Eliot touches deeply on the subject of insecurity- as the character of the poem declares that he has “measured his life in coffee spoons” –thus afraid to live his life and follow his dreams in fear of social criticism and ridicule. Often these fears of ridicule leave us “Like a patient etherized on a table…”



There will always be those willing and ready to ridicule and make their judgments upon you. Each person lives with similar insecurities and it is often easier to criticize someone else’s dreams than follow one’s own dreams.


Go forth knowing that everyone has the same fears and phobias. Who knows, by following your dreams you may be inspiring those very ones who may be criticizing you for following yours. Have a happy positive productive Tuesday, and do “DARE Disturb the Universe” with your dreams and put them into action!



And indeed there will be time


To wonder, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"


Time to turn back and descend the stair,


With a bald spot in the middle of my hair— 40


[They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!"]


My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,


My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—


[They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"]


Do I dare


Disturb the universe?


In a minute there is time


For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.


For I have known them all already, known them all;


Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, 50


I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;


I know the voices dying with a dying fall Beneath the music from a farther room.


So how should I presume? And I have known the eyes already, known them all—


The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,


And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,


When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,


Then how should I begin


To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways? 60


And how should I presume?

The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock

Prufrock and other Observations

T.S. Eliot 1915