The Judgement
Robert William Service 1874 – 1958
The Judge looked down, his face was grim,
He scratched his ear;
The gangster's moll looked up at him
With eyes of fear.
She thought: 'This guy in velvet gown,
With balding pate,
Who now on me is looking down,
Can seal my fate.'
The Judge thought: 'Fifteen years or ten
I might decree.
Just let me say the word and then
Go home to tea.
But then this poor wretch might not be
So long alive . . .'
So with surprise he heard that he
Was saying 'Five'.
The Judge went home. His daughter's child
Was five that day;
And with sweet gifts around her piled
She laughed in play.
Then mused the Judge: 'Life oft bestows
Such evil odds.
May he who human mercy shows
Not count on God's?'
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 40 sec read
- 43 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | AXAXBCBC DEDEEFEF GHGHIJIJ |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 778 |
Words | 134 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
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"The Judgement" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/32562/the-judgement>.
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