Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE SICK CHILD IN KENSINGTON by HUMBERT WOLFE

First Line: WHAT ARE THE GARDENS / WHERE LEMON TREES / BLOOM? ARE THEY GARDENS
Last Line: MY GARDENS SO STILL?
Subject(s): CHILDREN; SICKNESS; CHILDHOOD; ILLNESS;

WHAT are the Gardens
where lemon trees
bloom? Are they Gardens
mother, like these?

What are the Gardens
where laurel grows
and myrtle? Mother,
what Gardens are those?

Where is the Palace
with gold rooms? Is
the palace a palace,
mother, like this?

Where is the palace
with statues at
the high, cold windows?
What palace is that?

Where is the river
whose coils entwine
the hill? Is it, mother,
like Serpentine?

Where blow the lemon-trees,
where stands the hill,
mother? And why are
my Gardens so still?



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