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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BETTER A FLAME, by LUCIA TRENT
First Line: The coppers lunged against the bolted door
Last Line: Than wick to which a flame has never come.
Alternate Author Name(s): Cheyney, Mrs. Ralph; Glass, Mrs. Ernest
Subject(s): Suicide
First Line: The coppers lunged against the bolted door
Last Line: Than wick to which a flame has never come.
Alternate Author Name(s): Cheyney, Mrs. Ralph; Glass, Mrs. Ernest
Subject(s): Suicide
The coppers lunged against the bolted door
Into the room that reeked with gaseous smell.
April's incredible sun illumined the floor
And paintings he had tried so hard to sell.
The coroner turned the body upon its back.
The cameras clicked. "He gave himself a ride."
The newsboys piled the papers stack on stack.
And boldface headlines shouted, "SUICIDE!"
Too sensitive to bear the callous racket,
Fearing that failure's cross would brand his breast,
He punctuated life with narrow bracket
And took the easy way to easy rest.
Better be a flame for storms to thumb
Than wick to which a flame has never come.
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