The Wild Knight and other Poems: the Pessimist
The Wild Knight and Other Poems is a collection of poems by G.K. Chesterton that was published in 1900. The title poem, "The Wild Knight," tells the story of a knight who goes on a quest to find the Holy Grail but ends up losing his way and becoming lost in the wilderness. Other poems in the collection include "The Pessimist" and "The Rolling English Road."
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1908 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Religious · 315 words
First lines
You that have snarled through the ages, take your answer and go -- / I know your hoary question, the riddle that all men know. / You have weighed the stars in a balance, and grasped the skies in a span: / Take, if you must have answer, the word of a common man.
Deep in my life lies buried one love unhealed, unshriven, / One hunger still shall haunt me -- yea, in the streets of heaven; / This is the burden, babbler, this is the curse shall cling, / This is the thing I bring you; this is the pleasant thing.
What this Textopian page supports
The Wild Knight and other Poems: the Pessimist is listed on Textopian as a poem by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Religious, Romantic, Dramatic
- Length: 315 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Wild Knight and other Poems: the Pessimist by G.K. Chesterton
- 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
Similar titles
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems E C B by G. K. Chesterton
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems Joseph by G. K. Chesterton
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems At Night by G. K. Chesterton
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems Behind by G. K. Chesterton
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems Eternities by G. K. Chesterton
- The Wild Knight And Other Poems A Certain Evening by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Philosophical — The poem explores deep existential questions and themes of grief and the human condition.
- Religious — There are references to heaven and God, indicating a religious or spiritual dimension.
- Romantic — The poem contains elements of personal love and loss, central to romantic literature.
Tags
poetry · pessimism · romanticism · philosophy · nature · imagination · adventure · medieval · knighthood · existentialism · symbolism · human experience