I HAVE a bitter Thought, a Snake That used to sting my life to pain, I strove to cast it far away, But every night and every day It crawled back to my heart again; It was in vain to live or strive, To think or sleep, to work or pray; At last I bade this thing accursed Gnaw at my heart, and do its worst, And so I let it have its way. Thus said I, "I shall never fall Into a false and dreaming peace, And then awake, with sudden start, To feel it biting at my heart, For now the pain can never cease." But I gained more; for I have found That such a snake's envenomed charm Must always, always find a part, Deep in the centre of my heart, Which it can never wound or harm. It is coiled round my heart to-day. It sleeps at times, this cruel snake, And while it sleeps it never stings: -- Hush! let us talk of other things, Lest it should hear me and awake. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...PORPHYRIA'S LOVER by ROBERT BROWNING THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 6. THE KISS by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI DUSK ON ENGLISH BAY by EARL (EARLE) BIRNEY HOW GREY THE WORLD WAS by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT A THOUGHT FOR A LONELY DEATH-BED by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING |