Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MODERN LOVE: 17, by GEORGE MEREDITH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MODERN LOVE: 17, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: At dinner, she is hostess, I am host
Last Line: Dear guests, you now have seen love's corpse-light shine!
Variant Title(s): "the Family Skeleton;guests For Dinner;hiding The Skeleton;""at Dinner, She Is Hostess, I Am Host"";
Subject(s): Hypocrisy


At dinner she is hostess, I am host.
Went the feast ever cheerfuller? She keeps
The topic over intellectual deeps
In buoyancy afloat. They see no ghost.
With sparkling surface-eyes we ply the ball:
It is in truth a most contagious game;
HIDING THE SKELETON shall be its name.
Such play as this the devils might appall!
But here's the greater wonder; in that we,
Enamored of our acting and our wits,
Admire each other like true hypocrites.
Warm-lighted glances, Love's Ephemerae,
Shoot gayly o'er the dishes and the wine.
We waken envy of our happy lot.
Fast, sweet, and golden, shows our marriage-knot.
Dear guests, you now have seen Love's corpse-light shine!




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