Ad Olum

Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 (Edinburgh) – 1894 (Vailima, Samoa)



CALL me not rebel, though { here at every word
                          {in what I sing
If I no longer hail thee  { King and Lord
                          { Lord and King
I have redeemed myself with all I had,
And now possess my fortunes poor but glad.
With all I had I have redeemed myself,
And escaped at once from slavery and pelf.
The unruly wishes must a ruler take,
Our high desires do our low fortunes make:
Those only who desire palatial things
Do bear the fetters and the frowns of Kings;
Set free thy slave; thou settest free thyself.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 10, 2023

30 sec read
109

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCBDDEEFFGGE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 542
Words 100
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 13

Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. more…

All Robert Louis Stevenson poems | Robert Louis Stevenson Books

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