Wealth by Joyce Kilmer (1914)
The poem explores the idea that wealth is fleeting and ultimately unfulfilling. It describes a life of luxury and excess, but one that lacks true happiness and contentment. The speaker suggests that wealth cannot bring lasting joy or fulfillment, and that it can even lead to emptiness and despair.
By Joyce Kilmer · First published 1914 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism · 139 words
First lines
(For Aline)
From what old ballad, or from what rich frame Did you descend to glorify the earth? Was it from Chaucer's singing book you came? Or did Watteau's small brushes give you birth?
Nothing so exquisite as that slight hand Could Raphael or Leonardo trace. Nor could the poets know in Fairyland The changing wonder of your lyric face.
I would possess a host of lovely things, But I am poor and such joys may not be. So God who lifts the poor and humbles kings Sent loveliness itself to dwell with me.
What this Textopian page supports
Wealth is listed on Textopian as a poem by Joyce Kilmer, dated 1914 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Joyce Kilmer
- Date: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism, Elegy, Philosophical
- Length: 139 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse and employs poetic devices, focusing on aesthetic beauty and emotional expression.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal feelings and thoughts, particularly about beauty and longing.
- Romanticism — Themes of beauty, nature, and emotional depth align with Romantic ideals.
- Elegy — The reflective tone and contemplation of beauty suggest an elegiac quality.
Tags
Poetry · Philosophy · Economics · Wealth · Materialism · Spirituality · Morality · Ethics · Social Commentary · Critique of Capitalism · Class Struggle · Inequality