Analysis of The Offering

Edith Nesbit 1858 (Kennington, Surrey ) – 1924 (New Romney, Kent)



What will you give me for this heart of mine,
No heart of gold, and yet my dearest treasure?
It has its graces, it can ache and pine,

And beat true time to your sweet voice's measure;
It bears your name, it lives but for your pleasure:
What will you give me for this heart I bring,
That holds my life, my joy, my everything?

How can I ask a price, when all my prayer
Is that, without return, you will but take it,
Feed it with hope, or starve it to despair,

Keep it to play with, mock it, crush it, break it,
And, if your will lies there, at last forsake it?
Its epitaph shall voice its deathless pride:
'She held me in her hands until I died.'


Scheme ABA BBCC DED EEFF
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111111 11110111010 1111011101 01111111010 11111111110 1111111111 111111110 1111011111 11010111111 1111111101 11111111111 01111111011 11011111 1110010111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 639
Words 133
Sentences 5
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 3, 4, 3, 4
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 121
Words per stanza (avg) 33
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
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Edith Nesbit

Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party. more…

All Edith Nesbit poems | Edith Nesbit Books

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