How at Once

Edward Thomas 1878 (London Borough of Lambeth) – 1917 (Pas-de-Calais)



How at once should I know,
When stretched in the harvest blue
I saw the swift's black bow,
That I would not have that view
Another day
Until next May
Again it is due?

The same year after year -
But with the swift alone.
With other things I but fear
That they will be over and done
Suddenly
And I only see
Them to know them gone.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

21 sec read
78

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXABBA CXCXDDX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 323
Words 70
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 7, 7

Edward Thomas

Philip Edward Thomas was an Anglo-Welsh poet and essayist. more…

All Edward Thomas poems | Edward Thomas Books

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