Old King Cole by Edwin Arlington Robinson
In Tilbury Town, Old King Cole lives modestly with his pipe and bowl, needing neither a crown nor musicians, though his two sons, Alexis and Evander, create more trouble than any fiddlers could. After the death of the wife with whom he had lived in perfect harmony, he remains unmarried. His sons become habitual thieves and liars from youth, growing steadily worse and earning a reputation for evil that angers the town. Friends and neighbors repeatedly condemn the young men and press their judgment upon Cole. He receives their anger with patient kindness, listening attentively and treating their complaints with courtesy, yet he never explains what goodness, if any, he sees in Alexis and Evander. His calm manner and thoughtful silence lead others to expect some revelation, but those who wait for it receive only uncertainty. Privately, Cole admits that his sons are not the sons he would have chosen and agrees that they are likely to meet a bad end. Nevertheless, he refuses to surrender to grief or public despair. He says that he sees what he sees and must remain alone with that knowledge, because others' doubts would defeat any attempt to explain himself. Though he loves his friends and likes his neighbors, neither his pipe nor his bowl can cure the grief caused by his sons. He recognizes the possibility of ruin and the ashes of wasted love, yet chooses to live rather than weep. As a listener falls asleep while waiting for an answer, Cole quietly notes that dawn will soon come.
By Edwin Arlington Robinson · First published 1910 · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, Character Study · 715 words
First lines
IN Tilbury Town did Old King Cole
A wise old age anticipate, / Desiring, with his pipe and bowl, / No Khan's extravagant estate.
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Old King Cole is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edwin Arlington Robinson
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Narrative Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, Character Study, Psychological Poetry, Tragic Poetry
- Length: 715 words
- Structure: 1 section, 49 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Old King Cole by Edwin Arlington Robinson
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Genres
- Narrative Poetry — The work tells a complete story in verse, following Old King Cole's response to the criminality and moral decline of his two sons.
- Dramatic Monologue — Although narrated in part, the poem culminates in King Cole's extended reflective speech, revealing his private philosophy, grief, and resilience.
- Character Study — Its central concern is the complex character of Cole: a bereaved father whose serenity conceals profound awareness of his sons' failures and his own suffering.
- Psychological Poetry — The poem examines inward emotional conflict, particularly the tension between grief, acceptance, stoicism, paternal love, and social judgment.
Tags
poetry · modernist poetry · American literature · lyric poetry · narrative poetry · dramatic monologue · irony · melancholy · disillusionment · mortality · isolation · social criticism