I am Like One that for Long Days had Sate

Name: I am Like One that for Long Days had Sate
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

The poem explores themes of longing, hope, and despair through the metaphor of waiting for a loved one. The speaker likens their experience to that of a solitary figure on a foreland, gazing out to sea for ships that symbolize the arrival of their beloved. Each passing vessel ignites joy, only to be extinguished by the realization that the awaited ship does not carry the loved one, who is revealed to be dead. As the speaker reflects on their vigil, they express a deep sense of weariness and resignation. The anticipation that once filled them with hope has turned into a source of torment. The imagery of the sea and ships serves to illustrate the vastness of their longing and the futility of their wait. The speaker's heart, once buoyed by the possibility of reunion, is now heavy with loss. The poem transitions to a vision of a golden bird, representing the idealized love that the speaker yearns for. This bird, which flickers in the sky, becomes a symbol of unattainable dreams. The speaker's efforts to reach out and grasp this fleeting promise ultimately lead to further disappointment, as the bird, like their love, falls lifeless before them. In the closing lines, the speaker acknowledges the passage of time, marked by the cycle of day and night, which underscores their isolation and sorrow. The night envelops them, signifying a return to solitude and the enduring pain of unfulfilled desire. The work encapsulates the profound emotional struggle of waiting for something that may never come, highlighting the intersection of hope and despair in the human experience.

By Robert Louis Stevenson · First published 1885 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 348 words

First lines

I AM like one that for long days had sate, With seaward eyes set keen against the gale, On some lone foreland, watching sail by sail, The portbound ships for one ship that was late; And sail by sail, his heart burned up with joy, And cruelly was quenched, until at last One ship, the looked-for pennant at its mast, Bore gaily, and dropt safely past the buoy; And lo! the loved one was not there-was dead.

Then would he watch no more; no more the sea With myriad vessels, sail by sail, perplex His eyes and mock his longing. Weary head, Take now thy rest; eyes, close; for no more me Shall hopes untried elate, or ruined vex.

What this Textopian page supports

I am Like One that for Long Days had Sate is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, dated 1885 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Poem
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Date: 1885 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric, Melancholy, Narrative
Length: 348 words
Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing meter and rhyme, characteristic of poetry.
Romanticism — Themes of longing, love, and nature reflect the ideals of Romantic literature.
Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, typical of lyric poetry.
Melancholy — The tone conveys deep sadness and reflection on loss and unfulfilled desire.