First World War Poetry Digital Archive

When late I viewed the gardens of rich men

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When late I viewed the gardens of rich men, Where throve my darling blossoms plenteously, With others whose rare glories dazed my ken, I was not teased with envious misery. Enough for me to see and recognize; Then bear away sweet names upon my tongue, Scents in my breath, and colours in my eyes. Their owners watch them die: I keep them young. But when more spacious pleasances I trod, And saw their thousand buds, but might not kiss Though loving like a lover, sire, and God, Sad was the yearning of my avarice. The rich man gives his parting guest one bloom, But God hath vouchsafed my meek longing---whom?
Title
When late I viewed the gardens of rich men
Author
Owen, Wilfred (1893-1918)
Item date
1983
Content
Poem
Cataloguer
Stuart Lee
Copyright
The Estate of Wilfred Owen. The Complete Poems and Fragments of Wilfred Owen edited by Jon Stallworthy first published by Chatto & Windus, 1983. Preliminaries, introductory, editorial matter, manuscripts and fragments omitted.
Digital repository
The First World War Poetry Digital Archive
Repository name
ProQuest
Repository address line1
http://literature.proquest.com/
Text

When late I viewed the gardens of rich men,

Where throve my darling blossoms plenteously,

With others whose rare glories dazed my ken,

I was not teased with envious misery.

Enough for me to see and recognize;

Then bear away sweet names upon my tongue,

Scents in my breath, and colours in my eyes.

Their owners watch them die: I keep them young.

But when more spacious pleasances I trod,

And saw their thousand buds, but might not kiss

Though loving like a lover, sire, and God,

Sad was the yearning of my avarice.

The rich man gives his parting guest one bloom,

But God hath vouchsafed my meek longing---whom?
Original Format
Poem

Citation

“When late I viewed the gardens of rich men,” by Owen, Wilfred (1893-1918). The Estate of Wilfred Owen. The Complete Poems and Fragments of Wilfred Owen edited by Jon Stallworthy first published by Chatto & Windus, 1983. Preliminaries, introductory, editorial matter, manuscripts and fragments omitted. via First World War Poetry Digital Archive, accessed April 25, 2024, http://ww1lit.nsms.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/items/show/10515.

Permitted Use

This item is available for non-commercial educational use under the terms of the Jisc Model Licence. Further details available at: http://ww1lit.nsms.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/permitteduse