Vickery's Mountain by Edwin Arlington Robinson
Vickery sits facing a blue mountain, secretly believing he possesses knowledge that will bring him honor, wealth, and fame. Years earlier, a sick guest came to him and, before dying, told Vickery that he had written instructions concerning gold associated with the mountain. The man promises that Vickery will become rich and able to move among others with “hundreds at [his] heels,” then urges him to follow the clear course set down in the writing. Vickery mourns worthy men who have been defeated, but he keeps the secret and waits through many years. He imagines the golden sands at the mountain’s base and dreams of the day when he will claim what he considers his and walk with kings. Yet unseen hands keep him at home and prevent him from acting. The golden word and hidden gift are ultimately to be given to someone else, while Vickery remains unaware.
By Edwin Arlington Robinson · First published 1916 · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Dramatic Poetry · 448 words
First lines
BLUE in the west the mountain stands, / And through the long twilight
Vickery sits with folded hands, / And Vickery's eyes are bright.
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Vickery's Mountain is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, dated 1916 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: 1916 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Narrative Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Dramatic Poetry, Psychological Poetry, Tragic Poetry
- Length: 448 words
- Structure: 1 section, 44 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Vickery's Mountain by Edwin Arlington Robinson
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Genres
- Narrative Poetry — The work tells a complete, chronologically developed story about Vickery, a dying visitor's promise of hidden gold, and Vickery's long, frustrated expectation.
- Lyric Poetry — Its concentrated imagery, musical repetition, emotional atmosphere, and reflective closing give the narrative a strongly lyric quality.
- Dramatic Poetry — A central quoted speech by the dying guest creates a dramatic encounter and reveals the bargain that shapes Vickery's life.
- Psychological Poetry — The poem focuses on Vickery's inner life: his ambition, secret knowledge, hope, self-deception, and inability to act.
Tags
poetry · American literature · narrative verse · New England · rural life · psychological drama · isolation · ambition · failure · social criticism · character study · melancholy