Friendship After Love by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the theme of a romantic relationship that has ended, and the speaker reflects on the remnants of love that still linger. The speaker acknowledges that while the passion and romance have faded, a deep and abiding friendship remains. This friendship is not a replacement for the lost love but rather a natural progression of the emotional bond that once existed between the two individuals.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Philosophical · 173 words
First lines
After the fierce midsummer all ablaze / Has burned itself to ashes, and expires / In the intensity of its own fires, / There come the mellow, mild, St. Martin days, / Crowned with the calm of peace, but sad with haze. / So after Love has led us, till he tires / Of his own throes and torments and desires, / Comes large-eyed friendship: with a restful gaze / He beckons us to follow, and across / Cool, verdant vales we wander free from care. / Is it a touch of frost lies in the air? / Why are we haunted with a sense of loss? / We do not wish the pain back, or the heat; / And yet, and yet, these days are incomplete.
What this Textopian page supports
Friendship After Love is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Philosophical, Literary
- Length: 173 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Friendship After Love by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
- More Fortunate by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Before And After by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Parting by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- By And Bye by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Never Mind by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Their Sweet Sorrow by James Whitcomb Riley
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Romance — The themes revolve around love and its transformation into friendship.
- Philosophical — The text explores deep reflections on the nature of love and friendship.
- Literary — The writing style is sophisticated and emphasizes aesthetic qualities.
Tags
Romance · Poetry · Love · Heartbreak · Longing · Nostalgia · Melancholy · Relationships · Emotional · Introspective · Personal Growth · Self-Discovery