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Sonnet Reversed

Brooke, Rupert (1887 - 1915)

Original Text: 
The Collected Poems of Rupert Brooke: With a Memoir (London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1919): 158. PR 6003 R4 1919 Robarts Library.
1Hand trembling towards hand; the amazing lights
2Of heart and eye. They stood on supreme heights.
3Ah, the delirious weeks of honeymoon!
4Soon they returned, and, after strange adventures,
5Settled at Balham by the end of June.
6Their money was in Can. Pacs. B. Debentures,
7And in Antofagastas. Still he went
8Cityward daily; still she did abide
9At home. And both were really quite content
10With work and social pleasures. Then they died.
11They left three children (besides George, who drank):
12The eldest Jane, who married Mr Bell,
13William, the head-clerk in the County Bank,
14And Henry, a stock-broker, doing well.

Notes

5] Balham: district in Wandsworth, Greater London. Back to Line
6] Can. Pacs. B. Debentures: Canadian Pacific Railway Debentures (with thanks to Michael Watson). Back to Line
7] Antofagastas: Antofagasta is a city in Chile. Brooke's plural likely refers to stocks in the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Company (with thanks to Michael Watson). Back to Line
Publication Start Year: 
1919
RPO poem Editors: 
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition: 
RPO 2000.
Rhyme: 
aa bcbccdcdefef
Form: 
sonnet