Living

Riddle 25

by Carolyn Wells 1862–1942

From At the Sign of the Sphinx (Second Series)

Living

My first ’s possessed by men and dogs and goats,
By houses, churches, books and hats and coats.

My second was a maiden young and fair,
Entrusted to a guardian’s watchful care.

He who ’s my whole cannot achieve great fame;
Read my whole backward and it spells the same.

✦ ✦ ✦

Answer: BACKWARD

MLA

Wells, Carolyn. “Riddle 25.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wells_c/142/.

Chicago

Wells, Carolyn. “Riddle 25.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wells_c/142/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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