The Claim
Edith Nesbit 1858 (Kennington, Surrey ) – 1924 (New Romney, Kent)
OH! I admit I'm dull and poor,
And plain and gloomy, as you tell me;
And dozens flock around your door
Who in all points but one excel me.
You smile on them, on me you frown,
They worship for the wage you pay;
I lay life, love, and honour down
For you to walk on every day.
I am the only one who sees
That though such gifts can never move you,
A meagre price are gifts like these
For life's high privilege--to love you.
I am the one among your train
Who sees that loving you is worth
A thousand times the certain gain
Of all the heaped-up joys of earth.
And you, who know as well as I,
What your glass tells you every morning--
A kindred soul you should descry,
Dilute with sympathy your scorning.
At least you should approve the intense
Love that gives all for you to waste;
Your other lovers have more sense,
Admit that I have better taste.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 51 sec read
- 59 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABXB CDCD EFEF GHGH XIAI JKJK |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 850 |
Words | 168 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
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"The Claim" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/8935/the-claim>.
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