The Answer
Sara Teasdale 1884 (St. Louis) – 1933 (New York City)
When I go back to earth
And all my joyous body
Puts off the red and white
That once had been so proud,
If men should pass above
With false and feeble pity,
My dust will find a voice
To answer them aloud:
"Be still, I am content,
Take back your poor compassion --
Joy was a flame in me
Too steady to destroy.
Lithe as a bending reed
Loving the storm that sways her --
I found more joy in sorrow
Than you could find in joy."
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 02, 2023
- 27 sec read
- 307 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XAXBXAXB XXACXXXC |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 415 |
Words | 91 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8 |
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"The Answer" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/34567/the-answer>.
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