FROM THE POETRY SHELF1914
The Bungler
by Amy Lowell
You glow in my heart
Like the flames of uncounted candles.
But when I go to warm my hands,
My clumsiness overturns the light,
And then I stumble
Against the tables and chairs.
Collection and author context
The linked Project Gutenberg text places this poem in Sword Blades and Poppy Seed (1914). Lowell’s work as a poet, critic, and editor—and her advocacy for Imagism—provides broader context for reading the collection.
Source text: Sword Blades and Poppy Seed (1914) · Project Gutenberg. Further reading: all poems by Amy Lowell · Academy of American Poets: Amy Lowell · Poetry Foundation: Amy Lowell.