The King of the Fairy Men

James StephensSad

I KNOW the man without a soul : He is happy as the day, He is happy, people say.

He is happy — so they say : But they do not see him roll On the ground in very dole.

All along the ground in dole, When no one is watching, he Bites the ground in agony.

He bites the ground in agony : But with people he is whole : I know the man without a soul !

James Stephens

Mood:: Sad
Topics:: soul, sorrow, loneliness, earth, agony

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Summary

The speaker claims to know a man who seems cheerful to everyone else—people say he is happy as the day—but when he is alone, he rolls on the ground and bites the earth in agony. His public self is whole and bright, yet his private self collapses into despair.

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