Modern Love XLII: I Am to Follow Her

George Meredith 1828 (Portsmouth, Hampshire) – 1909 (Box Hill, Surrey)



I am to follow her. There is much grace
In woman when thus bent on martyrdom.
They think that dignity of soul may come,
Perchance, with dignity of body. Base!
But I was taken by that air of cold
And statuesque sedateness, when she said
'I'm going'; lit a taper, bowed her head,
And went, as with the stride of Pallas bold.
Fleshly indifference horrible! The hands
Of Time now signal: O, she's safe from me!
Within those secret walls what do I see
Where first she set the taper down she stands:
Not Pallas: Hebe shamed! Thoughts black as death,
Like a stirred pool in sunshine break. Her wrists
I catch: she faltering, as she half resists,
'You love. . . ? love. . . ? love. . . ?' all on an in-drawn breath.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
103

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBACDDCEFFEGHHG
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 715
Words 130
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 16

George Meredith

George Meredith was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times. more…

All George Meredith poems | George Meredith Books

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