The Anniversary
Robert William Service 1874 – 1958
"This bunch of violets," he said,
"Is for my daughter dear.
Since that glad morn when she was wed
It is today a year.
She lives atop this flight of stairs--
Please give an arm to me:
If we can take her unawares
How glad she'll be!"
We climbed the stairs; the flight was four,
Our steps were stiff and slow;
But as he reached his daughter's door
His eyes were all aglow.
Joylike he raised his hand to knock,
Then sore distressed was I,
For from the silence like a shock
I heard a cry.
A drunken curse, a sob of woe . . .
His withered face grew grey.
"I think," said he, "we'd better go
And come another day."
And as he went a block with me,
Walking with weary feet,
His violets, I sighed to see,
Bestrewed the street.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 43 sec read
- 80 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFGHGH FIFIDJDJ |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 842 |
Words | 146 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
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"The Anniversary" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/32471/the-anniversary>.
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