Unsatisfied

By Oliver Wendell Holmes

Satirical
    "Only a housemaid!" She looked from the kitchen, -     Neat was the kitchen and tidy was she;     There at her window a sempstress sat stitching;     "Were I a sempstress, how happy I'd be!"     "Only a Queen!" She looked over the waters, -     Fair was her kingdom and mighty was she;     There sat an Empress, with Queens for her daughters;     "Were I an Empress, how happy I'd be!"     Still the old frailty they all of them trip in!     Eve in her daughters is ever the same;     Give her all Eden, she sighs for a pippin;     Give her an Empire, she pines for a name!

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem presents a contemplation on human desires and the universal fallacy of always wanting more. The theme revolves around the constant human tendency to yearn for what we don't have, regardless of our current possessions or status. The tone is somewhat wistful, yet it carries a sense of critique towards this human frailty.

The poem is neatly structured, using parallelism to highlight the similarity between vastly different social statuses: a housemaid and a queen. The housemaid wishes to be a seamstress, while the queen envies an empress. This parallelism emphasizes the universality of the theme. The poet also employs an interesting metaphor in the final stanza, comparing human desire to Eve's original sin of discontent in the Garden of Eden, indicating that this tendency is an intrinsic part of human nature.

The poem's language is straightforward and accessible, yet it carries a deep philosophical message. It suggests that happiness does not come from acquiring more, but rather from appreciating what we already have. This piece serves as a poignant reminder of the futility of perpetual longing and the importance of contentment.

Understanding Satirical Poetry

Satirical poems use wit, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to expose folly—personal, social, or political. The aim isn’t just laughter: it’s critique that nudges readers toward insight or change.

Common characteristics of satirical poetry:

  • Targeted Critique: Focuses on specific behaviors, institutions, or ideas—often timely, sometimes timeless.
  • Tools of Irony: Uses sarcasm, parody, understatement, and hyperbole to sharpen the point.
  • Voice & Persona: Speakers may be unreliable or exaggerated to reveal contradictions and hypocrisy.
  • Form Flexibility: Appears in couplets, tercets, quatrains, blank verse, or free verse—music serves the mockery.
  • Moral Pressure: Beneath the humor lies ethical pressure—satire seeks reform, not merely amusement.
  • Public & Personal: Can lampoon public figures and trends or needle private vanities and everyday pretenses.

The best satire balances bite with craft: memorable lines that entertain while revealing the gap between how things are and how they ought to be.