Poor Poet, Was That Really You

Poor Poet, Was That Really You - meaning Summary

Regret and Misplayed Chances

The poem addresses a former, more earnest self—"Poor poet"—with irony and quiet reproach. The speaker recalls being once moved to rhyme but now dulled by love, gambling and drink. The moon provides a detached, luminous witness as the speaker confesses misplaced bets and mistakes. The closing gambling image—choosing the wrong card—stands for personal misjudgment and the loss of poetic seriousness.