Survival by Edith Wharton (1925)
The poem explores the theme of mortality and the cyclical nature of life. It describes how all things, including human experiences, will eventually return to their natural state, becoming one with nature again. The speaker wonders if, in the future, they and someone else will be reunited, perhaps in a spiritual realm, where they will radiate a deeper light than mere physical existence can offer.
By Edith Wharton · First published 1925 · Genre: Poetry, Romantic, Philosophical · 95 words
First lines
WHEN you and I, like all things kind or cruel, The garnered days and light evasive hours, Are gone again to be a part of flowers And tears and tides, in life's divine renewal,
If some grey eve to certain eyes should wear A deeper radiance than mere light can give, Some silent page abruptly flush and live, May it not be that you and I are there?
What this Textopian page supports
Survival is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edith Wharton, dated 1925 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edith Wharton
- Date: 1925 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romantic, Philosophical
- Length: 95 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Survival by Edith Wharton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Survival?
- How does this poem by Edith Wharton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Price by Helen Hay Whitney
- Life by Edith Wharton
- Arabesque by Helen Hay Whitney
- Love And Dawn by Helen Hay Whitney
- Fame by Ellen Glasgow
- A Torchbearer by Edith Wharton
Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form, with a rhythmic structure and use of poetic devices such as metaphor and imagery.
- Romantic — The text explores themes of love, loss, and longing, common in romantic literature.
- Philosophical — The text contemplates existential questions about life, death, and the nature of existence.
Tags
American Literature · Classic Fiction · Novel · Romance · Social Commentary · Societal Pressures · Marriage · Family Dynamics · Wealth and Class · High Society · New York City · Gilded Age