In The Harbour: Loss And Gain

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807 (Portland) – 1882 (Cambridge)



When I compare
What I have lost with what I have gained,
What I have missed with what attained,
Little room do I find for pride.

I am aware
How many days have been idly spent;
How like an arrow the good intent
Has fallen short or been turned aside.

But who shall dare
To measure loss and gain in this wise?
Defeat may be victory in disguise;
The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 13, 2023

23 sec read
401

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBC ADDC AEEC
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 378
Words 79
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. more…

All Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poems | Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Books

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