The Fugitive Ideal
William Watson 1858 (Burley in Wharfedale) – 1935 (Rottingdean)
As some most pure and noble face,
Seen in the thronged and hurrying street,
Sheds o'er the world a sudden grace,
A flying odour sweet,
Then, passing, leaves the cheated sense
Baulked with a phantom excellence;
So, on our soul the visions rise
Of that fair life we never led:
They flash a splendour past our eyes,
We start, and they are fled:
They pass, and leave us with blank gaze,
Resigned to our ignoble days.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 14, 2023
- 23 sec read
- 368 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABXX CDCDEE |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 409 |
Words | 78 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6 |
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"The Fugitive Ideal" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/42032/the-fugitive-ideal>.
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