No matter why, nor whence, nor when she came,
There was her place. No matter what men said,
No matter what she was; living or dead,
Faithful or not,he loved her all the same.
The story was as old as human shame,
But ever since that lonely night she fled,
With books to blind him, he had only read
The story of the ashes and the flame.

There she was always coming pretty soon
To fool him back, with penitent scared eyes
That had in them the laughter of the moon
For baffled lovers, and to make him think—
Before she gave him time enough to wink—
Her kisses were the keys to Paradise.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Edwin Arlington Robinson's poem The Story Of The Ashes And The Flame

1 Comment

  1. williams says:

    Any time this woman entered the into this man’s life he had a spot for her. It didn’t matter what others said of him or what advice they gave him. Whether she was upbeat and alive or sad and dead it was her presence that he loved, not her mood. If she loved someone else it did not matter to him, he would love her equally either way. This instance of his love for her has been common theme amongst romances for a long time. His books entertained him. They kept him hidden from the truth of his false relationship with this woman…

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