Sorry



There is much in life that makes me sorry as I journey
    down life’s way.
And I seem to see more pathos in poor human
    Lives each day.
I’m sorry for the strong brave men, who shield
    the weak from harm,
But who, in their own troubled hours find no
    Protecting arm.

I’m sorry for the victors who have reached
    success, to stand
As targets for the arrows shot by envious failure’s
    hand.
I’m sorry for the generous hearts who freely
    shared their wine,
But drink alone the gall of tears in fortune’s
    drear decline.

I’m sorry for the souls who build their own fame’s
    funeral pyre,
Derided by the scornful throng like ice deriding
    fire.
I’m sorry for the conquering ones tho know not
    sin’s defeat,
But daily tread down fierce desire ‘neath scorched
    and bleeding feet.

I’m sorry for the anguished hearts that break with
    passions strain,
But I’m sorrier for the poor starved souls that
    Never knew love’s pain.
Who hunger on through barren years not tasting
    joys they crave,
For sadder far is such a lot than weeping o’er a
    grave.

I’m sorry for the souls that come unwelcomed
    into birth,
I’m sorry for the unloved old who cumber up the
    earth.
I’m sorry for the suffering poor in life’s great
    maelstrom hurled,
In truth I’m sorry for them all who make this
    aching world.

But underneath whate’er seems sad and is not
    understood,
I know there lies hid from our sight a mighty
    germ of good.
And this belief stands firm by me, my sermon,
    motto, text –
The sorriest things in this life will seem grandest
    in the next.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 30, 2023

1:23 min read
141

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCBXDXD XEFEAGXG FHIHJKXK XLXLIMNM XONOXPXP JQAQCRXR
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,611
Words 277
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. more…

All Ella Wheeler Wilcox poems | Ella Wheeler Wilcox Books

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