On Anne Allen

Edward Fitzgerald 1809 (Bredfield House) – 1883 (Merton, Norfolk)



The wind blew keenly from the Western sea,
And drove the dead leaves slanting from the tree--
Vanity of vanities, the Preacher saith--
Heaping them up before her Father's door
When I saw her whom I shall see no more--
We cannot bribe thee, Death.

She went abroad the falling leaves among,
She saw the merry season fade, and sung--
Vanity of vanities the Preacher saith--
Freely she wandered in the leafless wood,
And said that all was fresh, and fair, and good--
She knew thee not, O Death.

She bound her shining hair across her brow,
She went into the garden fading now;
Vanity of vanities the Preacher saith--
And if one sighed to think that it was sere,
She smiled to think that it would bloom next year!
She feared thee not, O Death.

Blooming she came back to the cheerful room
With all the fairer flowers yet in bloom--
Vanity of vanities the Preacher saith--
A fragrant knot for each of us she tied,
And placed the fairest at her Father's side--
She cannot charm thee, Death.

Her pleasant smile spread sunshine upon all;
We heard her sweet clear laughter in the Hall--
Vanity of vanities the Preacher saith--
We heard her sometimes after evening prayer,
As she went singing softly up the stair--
No voice can charm thee, Death.

Where is the pleasant smile, the laughter kind,
That made sweet music of the winter wind?
Vanity of vanities the Preacher saith--
Idly they gaze upon her empty place,
Her kiss hath faded from her Father's face--
She is with thee, O Death.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:21 min read
107

Quick analysis:

Scheme aaBccb ddBeeb ffBggb hhBiib jjBkkb llBmmb
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,445
Words 268
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6

Edward Fitzgerald

Edward Fitzgerald was an English writer, best known for his English Literature classic Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. more…

All Edward Fitzgerald poems | Edward Fitzgerald Books

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