The Affliction Of Richard

Robert Seymour Bridges 1844 (Walmer, Kent) – 1930 (Boars Hill, Berkshire)



Love not too much. But how,
When thou hast made me such,
And dost thy gifts bestow,
How can I love too much?
Though I must fear to lose,
And drown my joy in care,
With all its thorns I choose
The path of love and prayer.

Though thou, I know not why,
Didst kill my childish trust,
That breach with toil did I
Repair, because I must:
And spite of frighting schemes,
With which the fiends of Hell
Blaspheme thee in my dreams,
So far I have hoped well.

But what the heavenly key,
What marvel in me wrought
Shall quite exculpate thee,
I have no shadow of thought.
What am I that complain?
The love, from which began
My question sad and vain,
Justifies thee to man.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
40

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXABCBC DEDEFGFG HIHIJKJK
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 667
Words 131
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8

Robert Seymour Bridges

Robert Seymour Bridges was Poet Laureate from 1913 to 1930. A doctor by training, he achieved literary fame only late in life. His poems reflect a deep Christian faith, and he is the author of many well-known hymns. It was through Bridges’ efforts that Gerard Manley Hopkins achieved posthumous fame. more…

All Robert Seymour Bridges poems | Robert Seymour Bridges Books

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