The Cross-Roads
Henry Lawson 1867 (Grenfell) – 1922 (Sydney)
Once more I write a line to you,
While darker shadows fall;
Dear friends of mine who have been true,
And steadfast through it all.
If I have written bitter rhymes,
With many lines that halt,
And if I have been false at times
It was not all my fault.
To Heaven’s decree I would not bow,
And I sank very low—
The bitter things are written now,
And we must let them go.
But I feel softened as I write;
The better spirit springs,
And I am very sad to-night
Because of many things.
The friendships that I have abused,
The trust I did betray,
The talents that I have misused,
The gifts I threw away.
The things that did me little good,
And—well my cheeks might burn—
The kindly letters that I should
Have answered by return.
But you might deem them answered now,
And answered from my heart;
And injured friends will understand
’Tis I who feel the smart.
But I have done with barren strife
And dark imaginings,
And in my future work and life
Will seek the better things.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 14, 2023
- 55 sec read
- 127 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFGHGH IJIJKLKL EMXMNCNH |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 953 |
Words | 186 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8 |
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"The Cross-Roads" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/17977/the-cross-roads>.
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