“I bought every kind of machine that's known- Grinders, shellers, planters, mowers, Mills and rakes and ploughs and threshers- And all of them stood in the rain and sun, Getting rusted, warped and battered, For I had no sheds to store them in, And no use for most of them. And toward the last, when I thought it over, There by my window, growing clearer About myself, as my pulse slowed down, And looked at one of the mills I bought- Which I didn't have the slightest need of, As things turned out, and I never ran- A fine machine, once brightly varnished, And eager to do its work, Now with its paint washed off- I saw myself as a good machine That Life had never used.”
Quote by Edgar Lee Masters
Work
Spoon River Anthology
This literary work is a series of verse narratives that delve into the personal stories of various inhabitants of Spoon River, a fictional town in Illinois. The poems, written in a unique and haunting style, offer a glimpse into the lives of these characters, their triumphs, failures, and the ultimate fate that awaits them. The anthology is known for its innovative narrative structure and its poignant portrayal of human existence. more
Author
Edgar Lee Masters
American poet, born on August 23, 1868, and died on March 5, 1950. His poetry is known for its profound portrayal of ordinary people and unique insights into the life of the American Midwest. more
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