Is Life a Boon
William Schwenck Gilbert 1836 – 1911
Is life a boon?
If so, it must befall
That Death, whene'er he call,
Must call too soon.
Though fourscore years he give
Yet one would pray to live
Another moon!
What kind of plaint have I,
Who perish in July?
I might have had to die
Perchance in June!
Is life a thorn?
Then count it not a whit!
Man is well done with it;
Soon as he's born
He should all means essay
To put the plague away;
And I, war-worn,
Poor captured fugitive,
My life most gladly give -
I might have had to live
Another morn!
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 21, 2023
- 31 sec read
- 92 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABBACDAEEEA FGGFHHFCCDF |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 481 |
Words | 102 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 11, 11 |
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"Is Life a Boon" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/41236/is-life-a-boon>.
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