Maud Muller
Encyclopedia
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. He is usually listed as one of the Fireside Poets...
(1807–1892). It is about a beautiful maid named Maud Muller. One day, while harvesting hay, she meets a judge from the local town. Each is smitten with the other. The judge thinks that he would like to be a local farmer married to Maud, while she thinks that she would like to be the wealthy judge's wife. Neither voices these thoughts, however, and the judge moves on. Both go on to marry others, but throughout the rest of their lives, each remembers the day of their meeting and remorsefully reflects on what might have been.
This poem contains the well known quotation: "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: 'It might have been!'"