TCDE-Team at 20:54, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T20:54:24Z

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	''The Inner Room'' is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[Songs of Action]] on 8 june 1898.		''The Inner Room'' is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[Songs of Action]] on 8 june 1898.


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	== The Inner Room ==		== The Inner Room ==

	It is ~~mine—the~~ little chamber,~~<br />~~		<poem>
	Mine alone.~~<br />~~		It is mine — the little chamber,
	I had it from my forbears~~<br />~~		Mine alone.
	Years agone.~~<br />~~		I had it from my forbears
	Yet within its walls I see~~<br />~~		Years agone.
	A most motley company,~~<br />~~		Yet within its walls I see
	And they one and all claim me~~<br />~~		A most motley company,
			And they one and all claim me
	As their own.		As their own.

	There's one who is a soldier~~<br />~~		There's one who is a soldier
	Bluff and keen;~~<br />~~		Bluff and keen;
	Single-minded, heavy-fisted,~~<br />~~		Single-minded, heavy-fisted,
	Rude of mien.~~<br />~~		Rude of mien.
	He would gain a purse or stake it,~~<br />~~		He would gain a purse or stake it,
	He would win a heart or break it,~~<br />~~		He would win a heart or break it,
	He would give a life or take it,~~<br />~~		He would give a life or take it,
	Conscience-clean.		Conscience-clean.

	And near him is a priest~~<br />~~		And near him is a priest
	Still schism-whole;~~<br />~~		Still schism-whole;
	He loves the censer-reek~~<br />~~		He loves the censer-reek
	And organ-roll.~~<br />~~		And organ-roll.
	He has leanings to the mystic,~~<br />~~		He has leanings to the mystic,
	Sacramental, eucharistic;~~<br />~~		Sacramental, eucharistic;
	And dim yearnings altruistic~~<br />~~		And dim yearnings altruistic
	Thrill his soul.		Thrill his soul.

	There's another who with doubts~~<br />~~		There's another who with doubts
	Is overcast;~~<br />~~		Is overcast;
	I think him younger brother~~<br />~~		I think him younger brother
	To the last.~~<br />~~		To the last.
	Walking wary stride by stride,~~<br />~~		Walking wary stride by stride,
	Peering forwards anxious-eyed,~~<br />~~		Peering forwards anxious-eyed,
	Since he learned to doubt his guide~~<br />~~		Since he learned to doubt his guide
	In the past.		In the past.

	And 'mid them all, alert,~~<br />~~		And 'mid them all, alert,
	But somewhat cowed,~~<br />~~		But somewhat cowed,
	There sits a stark-faced fellow,~~<br />~~		There sits a stark-faced fellow,
	Beetle-browed,~~<br />~~		Beetle-browed,
	Whose black soul shrinks away~~<br />~~		Whose black soul shrinks away
	From a lawyer-ridden day,~~<br />~~		From a lawyer-ridden day,
	And has thoughts he dare not say~~<br />~~		And has thoughts he dare not say
	Half avowed.		Half avowed.

	There are others who are sitting,~~<br />~~		There are others who are sitting,
	Grim as doom,~~<br />~~		Grim as doom,
	In the dim ill-boding shadow~~<br />~~		In the dim ill-boding shadow
	Of my room.~~<br />~~		Of my room.
	Darkling figures, stern or quaint,~~<br />~~		Darkling figures, stern or quaint,
	Now a savage, now a saint,~~<br />~~		Now a savage, now a saint,
	Showing fitfully and faint~~<br />~~		Showing fitfully and faint
	Through the gloom.		Through the gloom.

	And those shadows are so dense,~~<br />~~		And those shadows are so dense,
	There may be~~<br />~~		There may be
	~~Many—very many—more<br />~~		Many — very many — more
	Than I see.~~<br />~~		Than I see.
	They are sitting day and night~~<br />~~		They are sitting day and night
	Soldier, rogue, and anchorite;~~<br />~~		Soldier, rogue, and anchorite;
	And they wrangle and they fight~~<br />~~		And they wrangle and they fight
	Over me.		Over me.

	If the stark-faced fellow win,~~<br />~~		If the stark-faced fellow win,
	All is o'er!~~<br />~~		All is o'er!
	If the priest should gain his will~~<br />~~		If the priest should gain his will
	I doubt no more!~~<br />~~		I doubt no more!
	But if each shall have his day,~~<br />~~		But if each shall have his day,
	I shall swing and I shall sway~~<br />~~		I shall swing and I shall sway
	In the same old weary way~~<br />~~		In the same old weary way
	As before.		As before.
			</poem>

TCDE-Team at 15:06, 21 July 2016

2016-07-21T15:06:09Z

New page

''The Inner Room'' is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[Songs of Action]] on 8 june 1898.

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== Editions ==

* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1898-1916, [[Smith, Elder & Co.]] [UK])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (august 1898, [[Charles Scribner's Sons]] [US])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (september 1898, [[Doubleday & McClure Co.|Doubleday, Page & Co.]] [US])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1918-1920, [[John Murray]] [UK])
* in ''[[The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle]]'' (1922-1928, [[John Murray]] [UK])

== The Inner Room ==

It is mine—the little chamber, 
Mine alone. 
I had it from my forbears 
Years agone. 
Yet within its walls I see 
A most motley company, 
And they one and all claim me 
As their own.

There's one who is a soldier 
Bluff and keen; 
Single-minded, heavy-fisted, 
Rude of mien. 
He would gain a purse or stake it, 
He would win a heart or break it, 
He would give a life or take it, 
Conscience-clean.

And near him is a priest 
Still schism-whole; 
He loves the censer-reek 
And organ-roll. 
He has leanings to the mystic, 
Sacramental, eucharistic; 
And dim yearnings altruistic 
Thrill his soul.

There's another who with doubts 
Is overcast; 
I think him younger brother 
To the last. 
Walking wary stride by stride, 
Peering forwards anxious-eyed, 
Since he learned to doubt his guide 
In the past.

And 'mid them all, alert, 
But somewhat cowed, 
There sits a stark-faced fellow, 
Beetle-browed, 
Whose black soul shrinks away 
From a lawyer-ridden day, 
And has thoughts he dare not say 
Half avowed.

There are others who are sitting, 
Grim as doom, 
In the dim ill-boding shadow 
Of my room. 
Darkling figures, stern or quaint, 
Now a savage, now a saint, 
Showing fitfully and faint 
Through the gloom.

And those shadows are so dense, 
There may be 
Many—very many—more 
Than I see. 
They are sitting day and night 
Soldier, rogue, and anchorite; 
And they wrangle and they fight 
Over me.

If the stark-faced fellow win, 
All is o'er! 
If the priest should gain his will 
I doubt no more! 
But if each shall have his day, 
I shall swing and I shall sway 
In the same old weary way 
As before.

----
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

The Inner Room - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 20:54, 4 April 2026

TCDE-Team at 15:06, 21 July 2016