라

Blunt command; or trailing 'it being'

Two different things wear this shape in these lines. Four are blunt commands — don't let your guard down, start practising earlier, let not your left hand know — the harsher written cousin of 어라, at home in instructions, proverbs and titles. The other four sit after a noun and trail off ('art and science, huh...', 'it's getting a little late...'), where it is the 'to be' verb left hanging, either musing over what was just said or giving a reason and leaving you to finish it.

Register: blunt when commanding; musing when trailing off