True Love and New Love
The poem explores the theme of past and present love. The speaker advises a former lover to cherish their new relationship, recalling the memories they shared in the past. The speaker acknowledges their own lingering emotions but reassures their former partner that they will not interfere with their newfound happiness, even in death.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1908 · Genre: Romance, Drama, Historical Fiction · 201 words
First lines
OVER the meadow and down the lane To the gate by the twisted thorn: Your feet should know each turn of the way You trod so many many a day, Before the old love was put out of its pain, Before the new love was born.
Kiss her, hold her and fold her close, Tell her the old true tale: You ought to know each turn of the phrase, -- You learned them all in the poor old days Before the birth of the new red rose, Before the old rose grew pale.
And do not fear I shall creep to-night To make a third at your tryst: My ghost, if it walked, would only wait To scare the others away from the gate Where you teach your new love the old delight, With the lips that your old love kissed.
What this Textopian page supports
True Love and New Love is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Drama, Historical Fiction
- Length: 201 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for True Love and New Love by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering True Love and New Love?
- How does this short story by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- One Way Of Love by Edith Nesbit
- Her Marriage Lines by Edith Nesbit
- Love And Life by Edith Nesbit
- Guinevere by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward
- Love Well The Hour by Edith Nesbit
- We Two by Edna Lyall
Genres
- Romance — The narrative primarily revolves around the theme of love, both old and new, making it a quintessential romance novel.
- Drama — The plot contains elements of conflict, tension, and resolution, which are characteristic of drama.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and context of the story are rooted in a specific historical period, thus classifying it as historical fiction.
Tags
Romance · Love Triangle · Victorian Era · Social Class · Family Drama · Marriage · Infatuation · Unrequited Love · Heartbreak · Self-Discovery · Personal Growth · Women's Rights