Ambition
Wilfrid Scawen Blunt 1840 (Petworth House) – 1922 (United Kingdom)
I had ambition once. Like Solomon
I asked for wisdom, deeming wisdom fair,
And with much pains a little knowledge won
Of Nature's cruelty and Man's despair,
And mostly learned how vain such learnings were.
Then in my grief I turned to happiness,
And woman's love awhile was all my care,
And I achieved some sorrow and some bliss,
Till love rebelled. Then the mad lust of power
Became my dream, to rule my fellow--men;
And I too lorded it my little hour,
And wrought for weal or woe with sword and pen,
And wounded many, some, alas, my friends.
Now I ask silence. My ambition ends.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 14, 2023
- 33 sec read
- 108 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCDBECFCFGG |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 575 |
Words | 109 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
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"Ambition" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/38645/ambition>.
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