{
 "id": "robert-louis-stevenson/all-influences-were-in-vain",
 "title": "All Influences Were in Vain",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Robert Louis Stevenson",
 "poet_slug": "robert-louis-stevenson",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson (Hitherto Unpublished)",
 "book_slug": "poems-hitherto-unpublished",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 5,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1921,
  "venue": "Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson (Hitherto Unpublished) (1921)",
  "note": "The volume's title page states that these poems were hitherto unpublished, and no earlier printing of them has been established. The 1921 date is the year of first printing, but not necessarily of this exact copy: the volume states that it is a complimentary edition struck from the same type forms as the Bibliophile Society's edition of the same year.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poemshithertounp00stevrich"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/robert-louis-stevenson_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/worksofrobertlvol28stev",
   "https://archive.org/details/worksofrobertlou14stev",
   "https://archive.org/details/newpoemsandvaria00stevuoft",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemshithertounp00stevrich",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31291",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30659",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/441",
   "https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Poems,_by_Robert_Louis_Stevenson,_hitherto_unpublished"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 56,
  "n_stanzas": 14,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 44,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "All influences were in vain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The sun dripped gold among the trees,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "The fresh breeze blew, the woody plain",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ruffled and whispered in the breeze.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "All day the sea was on one hand,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The long beach shone with sun and wet⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "We walked in trio on the sand,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My shadow, I and my regret!",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Eve came. I clambered to my bed,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Regret lay restless by my side,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "The thought-wheels galloped in my head",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All night into the morning tide.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The thought-wheels span so madly quick,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So many thousand times an hour,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Thought after thought took life, as thick",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As bats in some old belfry tower.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "My mind was in émeute! each thought",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Usurped its individual right.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "In vain, I temporised⁠—I sought",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In vain to hold a plebiscite!",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Thoughts jostled thoughts⁠—By hill and glade",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They scattered far and wide like sheep,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "I stretched my arms⁠—I cried⁠—I prayed⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They heard not⁠—I began to weep.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "My head grew giddy-weak⁠—I tried",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To drown my reason. All in vain.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "I lay upon my face and cried",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Most bitterly to God again.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "God put a thought into my hand,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "God gave me a resolve, an aim.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "I blew it trumpet-wise⁠—the band",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of scattered fancies heard and came.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "They heard the bugle tones I blew⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The wandering thoughts came dropping in;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "They took their ranks in silence due⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One hour, and would the march begin?",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The march began; and once begun",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The serious purpose, true design",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Has held my being knit in one⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My being kept the thoughts in line.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Since then, the waves are still. The tide",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sets steadily and strongly out.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "The sea shines tranquil, far and wide,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My mind is past the surf of doubt.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The pole-star of my purpose keeps",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The constant line that I should steer.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "At night my weary body sleeps,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My brain works orderly and clear.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "All things are altered since I set",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The steady goal before my face;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "All things are changed; and my regret",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Is advertising for a place!",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Companion for an invalide⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The René-sort preferred⁠—genteel",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And orthodox.” I wish it speed⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The creature kept so well to heel!",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ]
 ]
}