Mockery by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the theme of unrequited love and the pain it causes. The speaker describes a romantic relationship that has ended, with the other person having moved on to someone else. The speaker is left to lament the loss and express their continued longing for the former lover. Throughout the poem, the speaker's emotions are intense and often bitter, as they struggle to come to terms with the rejection.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1896 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Emotional · 142 words
First lines
Why do we grudge our sweets so to the living Who, God knows, find at best too much of gall, And then with generous, open hands kneel, giving Unto the dead our all?
Why do we pierce the warm hearts, sin or sorrow, With idle jests, or scorn, or cruel sneers, And when it cannot know, on some to-morrow, Speak of its woe through tears?
What do the dead care, for the tender token -- The love, the praise, the floral offerings? But palpitating, living hearts are broken For want of just these things.
What this Textopian page supports
Mockery is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1896 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: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Emotional, Social Commentary
- Length: 142 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Philosophical — The themes explore deep questions about human behavior, life, and death.
- Emotional — The writing style evokes strong emotions and reflects on sorrow and empathy.
- Social Commentary — The text critiques societal attitudes towards the living and the dead.
Tags
Romance · Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Women Authors · Love · Heartbreak · Sorrow · Longing · Melancholy · Nostalgia · Yearning