Verses - Written Under The Portrait Of Fergusson, The Poet, In A Copy Of That Author's Works Presented To A Young Lady.

The poem appears to be an emotional lamentation upon the plight and irony of a writer's life, an exploration of themes such as ingratitude, suffering, and the paradox of creation. The speaker, presumably a writer or poet himself, directly addresses another individual, sympathizing with their shared predicament. The first two lines depict the bitterness of the artist, who is able to provide pleasure for others through their work, yet is unable to sustain themselves, an indictment of a society that appreciates art but neglects artists.

The poem's tone oscillates between anger, seen in the initial curse, and profound empathy, particularly in the line, "With tears I pity thy unhappy fate!" The structure of the poem is fairly straightforward, with no obvious rhyme scheme, but a rhythm that gives it a heartfelt, conversational quality. There's a notable use of apostrophe, a literary device where the speaker directly addresses an absent or nonexistent person or personified abstraction. The speaker's use of "O thou my elder brother in misfortune" adds a personal and intimate level to the poem, humanizing their shared struggle. The final lines pose a poignant question that encapsulate the poem's central theme: the dichotomy of the artist's life, who, despite being sensitive to the world's pleasures, is often left unappreciated and unpitied by the world.