Grief by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1893)
The poem explores the theme of grief and its overwhelming effects on an individual. It describes the emotional turmoil and pain that accompany the loss of a loved one, likening it to a crushing weight that cannot be escaped. The speaker expresses feelings of despair, hopelessness, and desperation, emphasizing the all-consuming nature of grief.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1893 · Genre: Poetry, Elegy, Lyric · 434 words
First lines
As the funeral train with its honoured dead On its mournful way went sweeping, While a sorrowful nation bowed its head And the whole world joined in weeping, I thought, as I looked on the solemn sight, Of the one fond heart despairing, And I said to myself, as in truth I might, "How sad must be this _sharing_."
To share the living with even Fame, For a heart that is only human, Is hard, when Glory asserts her claim Like a bold, insistent woman; Yet a great, grand passion can put aside Or stay each selfish emotion, And watch, with a pleasure that springs from pride, Its rival-the world's devotion.
What this Textopian page supports
Grief is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1893 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: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Elegy, Lyric, Romantic, Historical
- Length: 434 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Grief by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- 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 Grief?
- How does this poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- After Long Grief by Madison Cawein
- Remembrance by Lord Byron
- A Burial by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Ellen Irwin When She Sate by William Wordsworth
- No Song by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- A Mans Good Bye by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Elegy — The poem mourns the loss of a significant figure and reflects on themes of death and grief.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, focusing on the inner feelings of the speaker.
- Romantic — The poem explores deep emotional experiences and the impact of love and loss.
Tags
Poetry · Death · Loss · Mourning · Sorrow · Grief · Emotional · Introspective · Personal · Reflective · Melancholic · Somber