Her Letter Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDE DFDFGHGI DJDKLMLM NONODMDM NPNPPNPN PQPQRSRP NNNNTUVU PPPPPMPM NNNNRMRM PWPWLMLM

I'm sitting alone by the fireA
Dressed just as I came from the danceB
In a robe even YOU would admireC
It cost a cool thousand in FranceB
I'm be diamonded out of all reasonD
My hair is done up in a cueE
In short sir the belle of the seasonD
Is wasting an hour upon youE
-
A dozen engagements I've brokenD
I left in the midst of a setF
Likewise a proposal half spokenD
That waits on the stairs for me yetF
They say he'll be rich when he grows upG
And then he adores me indeedH
And you sir are turning your nose upG
Three thousand miles off as you readI
-
And how do I like my positionD
And what do I think of New YorkJ
And now in my higher ambitionD
With whom do I waltz flirt or talkK
And isn't it nice to have richesL
And diamonds and silks and all thatM
And aren't they a change to the ditchesL
And tunnels of Poverty FlatM
-
Well yes if you saw us out drivingN
Each day in the Park four in handO
If you saw poor dear mamma contrivingN
To look supernaturally grandO
If you saw papa's picture as takenD
By Brady and tinted at thatM
You'd never suspect he sold baconD
And flour at Poverty FlatM
-
And yet just this moment when sittingN
In the glare of the grand chandelierP
In the bustle and glitter befittingN
The finest soiree of the yearP
In the mists of a gaze de ChamberyP
And the hum of the smallest of talkN
Somehow Joe I thought of the FerryP
And the dance that we had on The ForkN
-
Of Harrison's barn with its musterP
Of flags festooned over the wallQ
Of the candles that shed their soft lustreP
And tallow on head dress and shawlQ
Of the steps that we took to one fiddleR
Of the dress of my queer vis a visS
And how I once went down the middleR
With the man that shot Sandy McGeeP
-
Of the moon that was quietly sleepingN
On the hill when the time came to goN
Of the few baby peaks that were peepingN
From under their bedclothes of snowN
Of that ride that to me was the rarestT
Of the something you said at the gateU
Ah Joe then I wasn't an heiressV
To the best paying lead in the StateU
-
Well well it's all past yet it's funnyP
To think as I stood in the glareP
Of fashion and beauty and moneyP
That I should be thinking right thereP
Of some one who breasted high waterP
And swam the North Fork and all thatM
Just to dance with old Folinsbee's daughterP
The Lily of Poverty FlatM
-
But goodness what nonsense I'm writingN
Mamma says my taste still is lowN
Instead of my triumphs recitingN
I'm spooning on Joseph heigh hoN
And I'm to be finished by travelR
Whatever's the meaning of thatM
Oh why did papa strike pay gravelR
In drifting on Poverty FlatM
-
Good night here's the end of my paperP
Good night if the longitude pleaseW
For maybe while wasting my taperP
YOUR sun's climbing over the treesW
But know if you haven't got richesL
And are poor dearest Joe and all thatM
That my heart's somewhere there in the ditchesL
And you've struck it on Poverty FlatM

Bret Harte



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Her Letter poem by Bret Harte


JoAnn Herrell: This has been my favorite poem from the first time I read it, years ago! I still cry every time I read it. I wish I could have met Bret Harte!
 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 42 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets