An Ode to Jane Austen

By Alex Andy Phuong

Jane Austen had a reclusive life
One that is particularly obscure
Yet she wrote so much about romance
Despite hardly being able to have that one special dance
That her ideas about life and love still endure

Pride and Prejudice is her most famous work of all
Originally titled First Impressions,
It is where Elizabeth met Darcy
At the Derbyshire Ball
Until they finally found love through emotional submissions.

Northanger Abbey satirized the Romantics
Catherine Morland read them all
However, her romantic sensibilities took flight
In the middle of the night
After realizing the follies of her dreams in a long and dark hall

Sense and Sensibility sounds poetic
Although its themes are hardly synthetic
Because Marianne and Elinor
Though as different as they can be
Proved that love is possible and can open any door

Mansfield Park had Fanny Price
Not to be confused with Fanny Brice.
However, Price proves that she is a priceless gem
In the eyes of different gentlemen
And that she is more than just suffice

Emma is a very interesting heroine, which is so very true
Austen likes Emma, but the rest of us would probably feel rue.
Ms. Woodhouse is a scheming matchmaker that meddles
Yet she refuses to be one of another man’s objectifying medals
Until she finally loves Mr. Knightly, and ceases the deceptive riddles

Finally there is Persuasion, a story about love began anew
It has been six years since Anne Elliot saw Captain Wentworth, but still thinks love is true
She and Wentworth had difficulties in the past
At times they thought the relationship could not last
That is, until they persuaded themselves to love each other, alongside the deep ocean blue

Jane Austen might really have experienced love once
With a man named Tom Lefroy
Despite the fact that it did not work out
There is absolutely no doubt
That Austen’s love stories are timeless, and that love is more than just a game or a toy

Alex Andy Phuong earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University-Los Angeles in 2015. He was a former Statement Magazine editor who currently writes about literature, film, and culture. He has written film reviews for more than one hundred motion pictures for MovieBoozer, and his writing has appeared both online and in print. Alex is a writer who dares to support the ones who pursue their dreams.