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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE ONE GRAY HAIR by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

Poet Analysis

First Line: THE WISEST OF THE WISE
Last Line: FAIR AS SHE WAS, SHE NEVER WAS SO FAIR.
Subject(s): AGING; WOMEN;

The wisest of the wise
Listen to pretty ires,
And love to hear them told;
Doubt not that Solomon
Listened to many a one,--
Some in his youth, and more when he grew old.
I never sat among
The choir of Wisdom's song,
But pretty lies loved
I As much as any king,--
When youth was on the wing,
And (must it then be told?) when youth had quite gone by.
Alas! and I have not
The pleasant hour forgot,
When one pert lady said,--
"O Landor! I am quite
Bewildered with affright;
I see (sit quiet now!) a white hair on your head!"
Another, more benign,
Drew out that hair of mine,
And in her own dark hair
Pretended she had found
That one, and twirled it round.--
Fair as she was, she never was so fair.



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