Richard Cory Whenever Richard Cory went downtown, 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. Edwin Arlington Robinson

Whenever Richard Cory went to town, We people on the street watched him; He was a gentleman from head to toe, Well-liked and elegantly thin. And he was always dressed simply, And he was always friendly when he spoke; But still, he made us excited when he said, 'Good morning,' and he shone when he walked. And he was rich - yes, richer than a king --- And very well-educated in every way: In short, we thought he was everything That made us wish we were him. So we kept working, hoping for better times, And went without good food, and complained about what we had; And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and shot himself in the head.