In this short poem, a poet regrets not acknowledging a teacher he once had. This poem should be read twice.
Timothy Murphy
For Robert Francis
Had I known, only known
when I lived so near,
I'd have gone, gladly gone
foregoing my fear
of the wholly grown
and the nearly great.
But I learned alone,
so I learned too late.
from The Formalist, A Journal of Metrical Poetry, Volume 12, Issue 1, 2001
University of Evansville, Evansville, IN
Copyright 2001 by Timothy Murphy.
All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission (click for permissions information).