On Violet’s Wafers, Sent Me When I Was Ill

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On Violet’s Wafers, Sent Me When I Was Ill
by Sidney Lanier

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Sidney Lanier composed this poem in Baltimore, Maryland in early 1881, just a few weeks before he passed away. His class in English Literature, composed of young girls, had been studying Chaucer’s The Knighte’s Tale when he was stricken with illness. This sonnet was composed for a member of that class. His sonnet “To My Class: On Certain Fruits and Flowers Sent Me in Sickness” was similarly conceived for the entire class.

117488On Violet’s Wafers, Sent Me When I Was IllSidney Lanier

Fine-tissued as her finger-tips, and white
      As all her thoughts; in shape like shields of prize,
      As if before young Violet’s dreaming eyes
Still blazed the two great Theban bucklers bright
That swayed the random of that furious fight
      Where Palamon and Arcite made assize
      For Emily; fresh, crisp as her replies,
That, not with sting, but pith, do oft invite
      More trial of the tongue; simple, like her,
Well fitting lowlihood, yet fine as well,
      —The queen’s no finer; rich (though gossamer)
In help to him they came to, which may tell
            How rich that him she’ll come to; thus men see,
            Like Violet’s self e’en Violet’s wafers be.