Anselmo
James Whitcomb Riley 1849 (Greenfield) – 1916 (Indianapolis)
Years did I vainly seek the good Lord's grace--,
Prayed, fasted, and did penance dire and dread;
Did kneel, with bleeding knees and rainy face,
And mouth the dust, with ashes on my head;
Yea, still with knotted scourge the flesh I flayed,
Rent fresh the wounds, and moaned and shrieked insanely;
And froth oozed with the pleadings that I made,
And yet I prayed on vainly, vainly, vainly!
A time, from out of swoon I lifted eye,
To find a wretched outcast, gray and grim,
Bathing my brow, with many a pitying sigh,
And I did pray God's grace might rest on him--.
Then, lo! A gentle voice fell on mine ears--
'Thou shalt not sob in suppliance hereafter;
Take up thy prayers and wring them dry of tears,
And lift them, white and pure with love and laughter!'
So is it now for all men else I pray;
So is it I am blest and glad alway.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 48 sec read
- 53 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFXGXG XX |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 820 |
Words | 162 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 2 |
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"Anselmo" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/20824/anselmo>.
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