The Treasure

Edith Nesbit 1858 (Kennington, Surrey ) – 1924 (New Romney, Kent)



UNDER our lead we lie
While the sun and the snow go by,
And our shrouds lie close, lie close,
Like the leaves of a shut white rose
That knows not what summer knows
Before it is time to die.

You, in the sun, up there
Where the wild thyme scents the air;
Is it warm still--and sweet and gay
Up there in the wide blue day?
Do you pity us, shut away
From the fields where the flowers are fair?

Pity us here? shut in
In the dark, where the flowers begin?
The coins lie light on our eyes,
In our empty hands is the prize,
The treasure that fools and wise
Are breaking their hearts to win!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 28, 2023

36 sec read
112

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAXBBA CCDDDC EEFFFE
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 590
Words 121
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6

Edith Nesbit

Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party. more…

All Edith Nesbit poems | Edith Nesbit Books

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    "The Treasure" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/9018/the-treasure>.

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