The Tendril's Fate
The poem tells the story of a woman who has been deceived and betrayed by her lover. She compares her fate to that of a tendril, which wraps itself around a tree for support but is eventually crushed by its own clinging. Similarly, she was drawn to her lover and gave herself to him completely, only to be destroyed by his deceit.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1902 · Genre: Poetry, Inspirational, Nature · 286 words
First lines
Under the snow, in the dark and the cold, A pale little sprout was humming; Sweetly it sang, 'neath the frozen mould, Of the beautiful days that were coming.
"How foolish your songs! " said a lump of clay; "What is there, I ask, to prove them? Just look at the walls between you and the day, Now, have you the strength to move them?"
But under the ice and under the snow The pale little sprout kept singing, "I cannot tell how, but I know, I know, I know what the days are bringing.
"Birds, and blossoms, and buzzing bees, Blue, blue skies above me, Bloom on the meadows and buds on the trees And the great glad sun to love me."
What this Textopian page supports
The Tendril's Fate is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1902 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: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Inspirational, Nature, Philosophical, Fable
- Length: 286 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Similar titles
- The Garden Of Paradise by Hans Christian Andersen
- Three Sunsets by Lewis Carroll
- Joy by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- To The Moon by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- The Call by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Sylph Etherege by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form with a rhythmic and lyrical quality.
- Inspirational — The themes revolve around hope, perseverance, and the promise of better days.
- Nature — The imagery and subject matter are deeply connected to natural elements like sprouts, clay, ice, and the changing seasons.
- Philosophical — The dialogue between the sprout, clay, and pebble explores existential themes and the nature of belief and reality.
Tags
Romance · Fantasy · Adventure · Fiction · Novel · Classic · Literary · Poetic · Whimsical · Imaginative · Dreamlike · Mysterious