Song of Long Ago by Edith Nesbit
The poem is a nostalgic reflection on past loves. It describes the beauty of nature in the spring, where the narrator and their first love lingered in a lane, kissing and parting ways. The poem then shifts to a later time, when the narrator parted with their last love in a gas-lit street, surrounded by a crowd, with tears shed for the inevitable passing of years.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1907 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Historical · 203 words
First lines
Long ago, long ago, / When the hawthorn buds were pearly / And the birds sang, late and early, / All the songs that lovers know, / How we lingered in the lane, / Kissed and parted, kissed again, / Parted, laggard foot and slow! / What a pretty world we knew / Dressed in moonlight, dreams and dew, / Long ago, my first sweet sweetheart, / Long ago!
Long ago, long ago, / When the wind was on the river / Where the lights and shadows shiver, / And the streets were all aglow.
In the gaudy gas-lit street / We two parted, sweet, my sweet, / And the crowd went to and fro, / And your veil was wet with tears / For the inevitable years -- / Long ago, my last sweet sweetheart, / Long ago!
What this Textopian page supports
Song of Long Ago is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edith Nesbit, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Historical
- Length: 203 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Song of Long Ago by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, with a rhythmic and rhyming structure, typical of poetry.
- Romance — The content revolves around love, parting, and longing, which are common themes in romance.
- Historical — The repeated phrase 'long ago' suggests a setting in the past, indicating a historical element.
Tags
Children's Fiction · Fantasy · Adventure · Magic · Imagination · Friendship · Growing Up · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · British Literature · Classic · Vintage