There Is A Bondage Worse, Far Worse, To Bear

William Wordsworth 1770 (Wordsworth House) – 1850 (Cumberland)



THERE is a bondage worse, far worse, to bear
Than his who breathes, by roof, and floor, and wall,
Pent in, a Tyrant's solitary Thrall:
'Tis his who walks about in the open air,
One of a Nation who, henceforth, must wear
Their fetters in their souls. For who could be,
Who, even the best, in such condition, free
From self-reproach, reproach that he must share
With Human-nature? Never be it ours
To see the sun how brightly it will shine,
And know that noble feelings, manly powers,
Instead of gathering strength, must droop and pine;
And earth with all her pleasant fruits and flowers
Fade, and participate in man's decline.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 24, 2023

34 sec read
129

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBAACCADEDEDE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 621
Words 113
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was the husband of Eva Bartok. more…

All William Wordsworth poems | William Wordsworth Books

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