The Heart of Joy by Edith Nesbit
The story revolves around a romantic relationship between two individuals who have found each other in a vast world. The narrator expresses gratitude for having met their partner, imagining the possibilities of what could have happened if they had never crossed paths. They acknowledge that many others would have desired and loved them, but they are the only one who can truly understand and reciprocate their love. The poem emphasizes the significance of their bond, which transcends the constraints of time and space.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1912 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Drama · 241 words
First lines
Dear, do you sigh that your love may not stay with you, Laugh with and play with you, Weep with and pray with you, All his life through? Think, O my heart, if you never had found me, Crept through the cere-clothes the world has wound round me, What would you do?
Wide is the world, and so many would sigh for you, Long for and cry for you, Weep for and die for you, You being you.
I only I, am the man you could sigh for, Live for and suffer for, sorrow and die for, Twenty lives through.
What this Textopian page supports
The Heart of Joy is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edith Nesbit, dated 1912 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: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Drama
- Length: 241 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Heart of Joy by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Heart of Joy?
- How does this poem by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse form, with a rhythmic and rhyming structure, typical of poetry.
- Romance — The content revolves around themes of love, longing, and devotion, which are common in the romance genre.
- Drama — The intense emotional expressions and conflicts presented in the work align with the drama genre.
Tags
Classic Literature · Children's Fiction · Fantasy · Adventure · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Family · Friendship · Growing Up · Imagination · Whimsy