Verse-Making Was Least of My Virtues

Robert Browning 1812 (Camberwell) – 1889 (Venice)



Verse-making was least of my virtues: I viewed with despair
Wealth that never yet was but might be--all that verse-making were
If the life would but lengthen to wish, let the mind be laid bare.
So I said, "To do little is bad, to do nothing is worse"--
And made verse.

Love-making,--how simple a matter! No depths to explore,
No heights in a life to ascend! No disheartening Before,
No affrighting Hereafter,--love now will be love ever more.
So I felt "To keep silence were folly:"--all language above,
I made love.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 30, 2023

29 sec read
113

Quick analysis:

Scheme AXABB CCCDD
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 524
Words 96
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 5, 5

Robert Browning

Robert Browning was the father of poet Robert Browning. more…

All Robert Browning poems | Robert Browning Books

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