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Poem
April 30, 1885
Wood County Reporter
Wisconsin Rapids, Wood County, Wisconsin
What is this article about?
A light verse poem illustrating a woman's persistent indecision about a personal choice, cycling through doubt and tentative resolve from morning to night, ultimately requiring external decision-making.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
At noon, she really does not know.
At evening, she is doubting still,
At night, she feels quite positive,
And sleeps upon, "I surely will."
The morning dawns upon the plan:
She rubs her eyes; she hardly knows
If, after all, 'tis wise and best,
Her troubled hesitancy grows.
By noon her doubts have multiplied.
She's where she was the day before;
She hardly knows, at twelve o'clock,
And finds it is not best at four.
At dinner she's quite sure she won't—
Absurd to ever think she would.
By candle light she can not tell.
"I wouldn't wonder if I should."
'Tis won't and will, and cannot tell
"I hardly know—I may—I mayn't,
Until some firm and sturdy will
Decides it for the pretty saint.
At evening, she is doubting still,
At night, she feels quite positive,
And sleeps upon, "I surely will."
The morning dawns upon the plan:
She rubs her eyes; she hardly knows
If, after all, 'tis wise and best,
Her troubled hesitancy grows.
By noon her doubts have multiplied.
She's where she was the day before;
She hardly knows, at twelve o'clock,
And finds it is not best at four.
At dinner she's quite sure she won't—
Absurd to ever think she would.
By candle light she can not tell.
"I wouldn't wonder if I should."
'Tis won't and will, and cannot tell
"I hardly know—I may—I mayn't,
Until some firm and sturdy will
Decides it for the pretty saint.
What sub-type of article is it?
Epigram
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Indecision
Feminine Hesitation
Daily Doubt
Womans Will
Resolve Cycle
Poem Details
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
At Noon, She Really Does Not Know.
At Evening, She Is Doubting Still,
At Night, She Feels Quite Positive,
And Sleeps Upon, "I Surely Will."
'Tis Won't And Will, And Cannot Tell
"I Hardly Know—I May—I Mayn't,
Until Some Firm And Sturdy Will
Decides It For The Pretty Saint.