Regret
Robert William Service 1874 – 1958
It's not for laws I've broken
That bitter tears I've wept,
But solemn vows I've spoken
And promises unkept;
It's not for sins committed
My heart is full of rue,
but gentle acts omitted,
Kind deeds I did not do.
I have outlived the blindness,
The selfishness of youth;
The canker of unkindness,
The cruelty of truth;
The searing hurt of rudeness . . .
By mercies great and small,
I've come to reckon goodness
The greatest gift of all.
Let us be helpful ever
to those who are in need,
And each new day endeavour
To do some gentle deed;
For faults beyond our grieving,
What kindliness atone;
On earth by love achieving
A Heaven of our own.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 17, 2023
- 37 sec read
- 252 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFEGEG HIHIJKJK |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 621 |
Words | 118 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
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"Regret" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/32389/regret>.
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