Ella Wheeler Wilcox's 'Solitude': A Masterpiece Unveiled!

 "Solitude" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

 

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone;

For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,

But has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer;

Sigh, it is lost on the air;

The echoes bound to a joyful sound,

But shrink from voicing care.

 

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go;

They want full measure of all your pleasure,

But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many;

Be sad, and you lose them all,—

There are none to decline your nectared wine,

But alone you must drink life’s gall.

 

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

Fast, and the world goes by.

Succeed and give, and it helps you live,

But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure

For a large and lordly train,

But one by one we must all file on

Through the narrow aisles of pain.

Enjoy the poem with beautiful music.

poem video👇

https://youtu.be/J--GfdhIPRs

Who wrote the poem "Solitude"?

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (November 5, 1850 – October 30, 1919)

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. She began writing poetry at a very young age, and by the time she was a teenager, her work was being published in the New York Mercury. Her most famous collection, "Poems of Passion," was published in 1883 and included the well-known poem "Solitude." Throughout her career, Wilcox was known for her sentimental and moralistic verses, which often explored themes of love, passion, and human emotion. 

 'Solitude' explanation

"Solitude" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox explores human nature and the paradox of social interaction. The poem suggests that people are drawn towards happiness and joy, and tend to avoid or abandon those who are in sorrow or pain. It emphasizes the inherent solitude that accompanies suffering, as people must often face their troubles alone. Wilcox's poem reveals the dichotomy between shared joys and solitary sorrows in the human condition. The poem was reportedly written in response to an encounter Wilcox had with a grieving widow during a train ride. The widow's profound loneliness and despair inspired Wilcox to pen "Solitude."