The Long Vacation

Katharine Tynan 1861 (Ireland) – 1931



To Amy Wainwright

This is the time the boys come home from school,
Filling the house with gay and happy noise,
Never at rest from morn till evening cool --
All the roads of the world bring home the boys.

This is the time -- but still they are not come;
The mothers stand in the doorway listening long;
Long, long they shall wait ere the boys come home.
Where do they tarry, the dear, the light-heart throng?

Their feet are heavy as lead and deep their rest.
The mothers watch the road till set of sun;
But nevermore the birds fly back to the nest.
The roads of the world run Heavenward every one.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

35 sec read
34

Quick analysis:

Scheme X ABAB XCXC DEDE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 592
Words 117
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 1, 4, 4, 4

Katharine Tynan

Katharine Tynan was an Irish-born writer, known mainly for her novels and poetry. more…

All Katharine Tynan poems | Katharine Tynan Books

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    How many syllables an Iambic Pentameter line must have?
    A 10
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