The Coquette

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



Alone she sat with her accusing heart,

That, like a restless comrade frightened sleep,

And every thought that found her, left a dart

That hurt her so, she could not even weep.

Her heart that once had been a cup well filled

With love's red wine, save for some drops of gall

She knew was empty; though it had not spilled

Its sweets for one, but wasted them on all.

She stood upon the grave of her dead truth,

And saw her soul's bright armor red with rust,

And knew that all the riches of her youth

Were Dead Sea apples, crumbling into dust.

Love that had turned to bitter, biting scorn,

Hearthstones despoiled, and homes made desolate,

Made her cry out that she was ever born,

To loathe her beauty and to curse her fate

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

42 sec read
112

Quick analysis:

Scheme A B A B C D C D E F E F G X G X
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 710
Words 138
Stanzas 16
Stanza Lengths 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

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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    "The Coquette" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/10829/the-coquette>.

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