Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE AMERICAN ALOE ON EXHIBITION by HERMAN MELVILLE

Poet Analysis

First Line: BUT FEW THEY WERE WHO CAME TO SEE
Last Line: ACCOUNTING ME A WEED!
Subject(s): ALOE (FLOWER); FLOWERS;

But few they were who came to see
The Century-Plant in flower:
Ten cents admission -- price you pay
For bon-bons of the hour.

In strange inert blank unconcern
Of wild things at the Zoo,
The patriarch let the sight-seers stare --
Nor recked who came to view.

But lone at night the garland sighed
While moaned the aged stem:
"At last, at last! but joy and pride
What part have I with them?"

Let be the dearth that kept me back
Now long from wreath decreed;
But, Ah, ye Roses that have passed
Accounting me a weed!



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