The Bibliomaniac's Prayer

Eugene Field 1850 (St. Louis) – 1895 (Chicago)



Keep me, I pray, in wisdom's way
    That I may truths eternal seek;
  I need protecting care to-day,--
    My purse is light, my flesh is weak.
  So banish from my erring heart
    All baleful appetites and hints
  Of Satan's fascinating art,
    Of first editions, and of prints.
  Direct me in some godly walk
    Which leads away from bookish strife,
  That I with pious deed and talk
    May extra-illustrate my life.
  But if, O Lord, it pleaseth Thee
    To keep me in temptation's way,
  I humbly ask that I may be
    Most notably beset to-day;
  Let my temptation be a book,
    Which I shall purchase, hold, and keep,
  Whereon when other men shall look,
    They 'll wail to know I got it cheap.
  Oh, let it such a volume be
    As in rare copperplates abounds,
  Large paper, clean, and fair to see,
    Uncut, unique, unknown to Lowndes.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 09, 2023

45 sec read
142

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGAGAHIHIGJGK
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 852
Words 149
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 24

Eugene Field

Eugene Field, Sr. was an American writer, best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays. more…

All Eugene Field poems | Eugene Field Books

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