Song. I Had A Dove

John Keats 1795 (Moorgate) – 1821 (Rome)



I had a dove, and the sweet dove died;
And I have thought it died of grieving:
O, what could it grieve for? its feet were tied
With a single thread of my own hand's weaving;
Sweet little red feet, why should you die--
Why should you leave me, sweet bird, why?
You lived alone in the forest tree,
Why, pretty thing! would you not live with me?
I kiss'd you oft and gave you white peas;
Why not live sweetly, as in the green trees?

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 16, 2023

27 sec read
611

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCCDDEE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 428
Words 88
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 10

John Keats

John Keats was an English Romantic poet. more…

All John Keats poems | John Keats Books

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