My Kingdom
Louisa May Alcott 1832 – 1888
A little kingdom I possess
where thoughts and feelings dwell,
And very hard I find the task
of governing it well;
For passion tempts and troubles me,
A wayward will misleads,
And selfishness its shadow casts
On all my words and deeds.
How can I learn to rule myself,
to be the child I should,
Honest and brave, nor ever tire
Of trying to be good?
How can I keep a sunny soul
To shine along life's way?
How can I tune my little heart
To sweetly sing all day?
Dear Father, help me with the love
that casteth out my fear;
Teach me to lean on thee, and feel
That thou art very near,
That no temptation is unseen
No childish grief too small,
Since thou, with patience infinite,
Doth soothe and comfort all.
I do not ask for any crown
But that which all may win
Nor seek to conquer any world
Except the one within.
Be thou my guide until I find,
Led by a tender hand,
Thy happy kingdom in myself
And dare to take command.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 19, 2023
- 54 sec read
- 359 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XAXAXBXB CDXDXEXE XFXFXGXG XHXHXICI |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 923 |
Words | 182 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8 |
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"My Kingdom" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 12 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/26071/my-kingdom>.
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