An hour ago when the wind blew high
At my lady’s window a red leaf beat.
Then dropped at her door, where, passing by,
She carelessly trod it under her feet.
I have taken it out of the dust and dirt,
With a tender pity but half defined.
Ah! poor bruised leaf, with your stain and hurt,
‘A fellow-feeling doth make us kind.’
On winds of passion my heart was blown,
Like an autumn leaf one hapless day.
At my lady’s window with tap and moan
It burned and fluttered its life away.
Bright with the blood of its wasting tide
It glowed in the sun of her laughing eyes.
What cared she though a stray heart died –
What to her were its sobs and sighs.
The winds of passion were spent at last,
And my heart like the leaf in her pathway lay;
And under her slender foot as she passed,
My lady she trod it and went her way.
So I picked the leaf from its dusty place,
With a tender pity -too well defined.
And I laid it here in this velvet case,
Ah! a fellow-feeling doth make us kind.
by ELLA WHEELER WILCOX (1855-1919)
Public Domain Poetry
Such a big Description of little event,, great artistic thing
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It is definitely a thing of beauty, Sanjay. We quite agree.
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Thanks Miss Tony
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‘Fraid this sort of Victorian sentimentalism isn’t for me, nor the implication that neglecting to notice one red leaf in the millions of Autumn makes one a Bad Person. Ella Wilcox is much better when she’s writing about Solitude.
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Thanks for your input, TF. That’s a valid point for sure. You can’t notice everyone that is arbitrarily singled out as being ‘worthy of attention’, that’s for sure. And if that makes one a criminal then I guess we’re all guilty of this to some degree.
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Upon reflection, I do wonder if there might be some metaphor going on, but if so then it’s lost on me.
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You wouldn’t be the first person this has happened to, my friend. Happens to me all the time!
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it’s like milton with life to it.
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That’s very high praise, good sir! If this woman was still with us, I think she’d appreciate that very much! 😮
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well.. I love milton because he was so damn efficient (his meter is goddamn perfect), but flowery he aint… I am a byron/shelley guy and I suspect you the same (not that we don’t like other work but there is always a style that speaks to you)
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Absolutely. I’m all about the emotions and mind pictures, me. 🙂
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Lovely, lovely emotion expressed. I “felt” the poem. Kuddos to the poet!
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We felt it too, Rae. It’s so beautifully written!
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Neat, I love the rhythm.. As a rapper it would go nicely to a bass line 😉😁
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Mixing the old with the new… I like the idea, James!
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The meter divine, the imagery fine, the pain defined, of drear designed.
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It’s as exquisite as your fine, clever comment! 😉
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A little melancholia, and I love it!
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It’s amazing just how much great poetry there is out there!
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Beautiful
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Yes, we love it! 😀
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I love that poem so much.
My leaf has died,
It’s time, done.
Returned to the Earth,
Where it all begun.
Im no longer sad,
You stepped on me my friend,
Back to the Earth,
To begin, again.
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I like your take, Raven! Nice work! 😀
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Nice post
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Thanks for visiting, Aashutosh! 😀
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☺
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