Classic and Contemporary Poetry
FEARS AND SCRUPLES, by ROBERT BROWNING Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Here's my case. Of old I used to love Last Line: What if this friend happened to be -- god? Subject(s): Fear; Letters | ||||||||
HERE's my case. Of old I used to love him, This same unseen friend, before I knew: Dream there was none like him, none above him, -- Wake to hope and trust my dream was true. Loved I not his letters full of beauty? Not his actions famous far and wide? Absent, he would know I vowed him duty; Present, he would find me at his side. Pleasant fancy! for I had but letters, Only knew of actions by hearsay: He himself was busied with my betters; What of that? My turn must come some day. "Some day" proving -- no day! Here's the puzzle. Passed and passed my turn is. Why complain? He's so busied! If I could but muzzle People's foolish mouths that give me pain! "Letters?" (hear them!) "You a judge of writing? Ask the experts! How they shake the head O'er these characters, your friend's inditing -- Call them forgery from A to Z! "Actions? Where's your certain proof" (they brother) "He, of all you find so great and good, He, he only, claims this, that, the other Action -- claimed by men, a multitude?" I can simply wish I might refute you, Wish my friend would, -- by a word, a wink, -- Bid me stop that foolish mouth, -- you brute you! He keeps absent, -- why, I cannot think. Never mind! Though foolishness may flout me, One thing's sure enough: 't is neither frost, No, nor fire, shall freeze or burn from out me Thanks for truth -- though falsehood, gained -- though lost. All my days, I'll go the softlier, sadlier, For that dream's sake! How forget the thrill Through and through me as I thought "The gladlier Lives my friend because I love him still!" Ah, but there's a menace some one utters! "What and if your friend at home play tricks? Peep at hide-and-seek behind the shutters? Mean your eyes should pierce through solid bricks? "What and if he, frowning, wake you, dreamy? Lay on you the blame that bricks -- conceal? Say 'At least I saw who did not see me, Does see now, and presently shall feel'?" "Why, that makes your friend a monster!" say you: "Had his house no window? At first nod, Would you not have hailed him?" Hush, I pray you! What if this friend happened to be -- God? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LOVE LETTER FROM AN IMPOSSIBLE LAND by WILLIAM MEREDITH ALL SHE WROTE by HARRYETTE MULLEN LETTER TO MAXINE SULLIVAN by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE AFTERLIFE: LETTER TO SAM HAMILL: 1 by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE AFTERLIFE: LETTER TO STEPHEN DOBYNS: 1 by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE AFTERLIFE: LETTER TO STEPHEN DOBYNS: 2 by HAYDEN CARRUTH LETTER TO MOTHER by JOHN CIARDI CHILDE ROLAND TO THE DARK TOWER CAME' by ROBERT BROWNING |
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