Will
Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate,
Can circumvent or hinder or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for nothing; will alone is great;
All things give way before it, soon or late.
What obstacle can stay the mighty force
Of the sea-seeking river in its course,
Or cause the ascending orb of day to wait?
Each well-born soul must win what it deserves.
Let the fool prate of luck. The fortunate
Is he whose earnest purpose never swerves,
Whose slightest action or inaction serves
The one great aim. Why, even Death stands still,
And waits an hour sometimes for such a will.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 25, 2023
- 33 sec read
- 300 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABBAACCADECDFF |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 605 |
Words | 110 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
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"Will" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/11006/will>.
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