The Lamplighter

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



My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky.
It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.

Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,
And my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be;
But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,
O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you!

For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,
And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;
And oh! before you hurry by with ladder and with light;
O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him to-night!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 02, 2023

43 sec read
397

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABB CCDD EEFF
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 655
Words 141
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 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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