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Poets

Joyce Kilmer 1886 (New Brunswick) – 1918 (Seringes-et-Nesles)

Vain is the chiming of forgotten bells
 That the wind sways above a ruined shrine.
Vainer his voice in whom no longer dwells
 Hunger that craves immortal Bread and Wine.

Light songs we breathe that perish with our breath
 Out of our lips that have not kissed the rod.
They shall not live who have not tasted death.
 They only sing who are struck dumb by God.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

20 sec read
410

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 360
Words 69
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 4, 4
Full analysis for Poets »

Joyce Kilmer

Joyce Kilmer was an American writer and poet mainly remembered for a short poem titled "Trees", which was published in the collection Trees and Other Poems in 1914. more…

All Joyce Kilmer poems | Joyce Kilmer Books

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    "Poets" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/24648/poets>.

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