Ad Nepotem

Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 (Edinburgh) – 1894 (Vailima, Samoa)



O NEPOS, twice my neigh(b)our (since at home
We're door by door, by Flora's temple dome;
And in the country, still conjoined by fate,
Behold our villas standing gate by gate),
Thou hast a daughter, dearer far than life -
Thy image and the image of thy wife.
Thy image and thy wife's, and be it so!

But why for her, { neglect the flowing } can
                 { O Nepos, leave the }

And lose the prime of thy Falernian?
Hoard casks of money, if to hoard be thine;
But let thy daughter drink a younger wine!
Let her go rich and wise, in silk and fur;

Lay down a { bin that shall }  grow old with her;
           { vintage to }

But thou, meantime, the while the batch is sound,
With pleased companions pass the bowl around;
Nor let the childless only taste delights,
For Fathers also may enjoy their nights.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

47 sec read
48

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCX DX DEEF FX GGHH
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 795
Words 155
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 7, 2, 4, 2, 4

Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. more…

All Robert Louis Stevenson poems | Robert Louis Stevenson Books

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