Had I Presumed to Hope
poem 522
Had I Presumed to Hope - meaning Summary
Honor Through Confident Despair
The poem reframes loss and unfulfilled hopes as spiritual gains. The speaker accepts failure not as defeat but as a dignified, "confident despair" that confirms grace and advances the soul. Even dying is framed as an ultimate honor and a second kind of gain—justification through death rather than worldly favor. The overall voice is calm and resolute, turning private disappointment into a metaphysical consolation.
Read Complete AnalysesHad I presumed to hope The loss had been to Me A Value for the Greatness’ Sake As Giants gone away Had I presumed to gain A Favor so remote The failure but confirm the Grace In further Infinite ‘Tis failure not of Hope But Confident Despair Advancing on Celestial Lists With faint Terrestial power ‘Tis Honor though I die For That no Man obtain Till He be justified by Death This is the Second Gain
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