Sorrow's Uses

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



The uses of sorrow I comprehend
Better and better at each year’s end.

Deeper and deeper I seem to see
Why and wherefore it has to be

Only after the dark, wet days
Do we fully rejoice in the sun’s bright rays.

Sweeter the crust tastes after the fast
Than the sated gourmand’s finest repast.

The faintest cheer sounds never amiss
To the actor who once has heard a hiss.

To one who the sadness of freedom knows,
Light seem the fetters love may impose.

And he who has dwelt with his heart alone,
Hears all the music in friendship’s tone.

So better and better I comprehend,
How sorrow ever would be our friend.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
101

Quick analysis:

Scheme AA BB CC XA DD EE FF AA
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 609
Words 116
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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

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