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The Children of the Night: A Book of Poems (1897):
“Richard Cory”
by Edwin Arlington Robinson

The Children of the Night: A Book of Poems

Title: “Richard Cory”

Medium: poem

Publication date: 1897

Publisher: Richard G. Badger & Company
Written by: Edwin Arlington Robinson


1 characters in this story:

Character
(Click links for info about character
and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.)
Religious
Affiliation
Team(s)
[Notes]
Pub. #
app.
Richard Cory Richard Cory
(lead character)
non-feature lead character
CBR Scale: S religious/ethical
[wealthy, admired man who commits suicide] Richard G. Badger & Company 4

Below is the complete original poem:

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich – yes, richer than a king –
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.