I Could Not Sleep For Thinking Of The Sky

I Could Not Sleep For Thinking Of The Sky

by John Masefield

I could not sleep for thinking of the sky,

The unending sky, with all its million suns

Which turn their planets everlastingly

In nothing, where the fire-haired comet runs.

If I could sail that nothing, I should cross

Silence and emptiness with dark stars passing;

Then, in the darkness, see a point of gloss

Burn to a glow, and glare, and keep amassing,

And rage into a sun with wandering planets,

And drop behind; and then, as I proceed,

See his last light upon his last moon's granites

Die to a dark that would be night indeed:

Night where my soul might sail a million years

In nothing, not even Death, not even tears.

-from Lollingdon Downs

((If you have any further questions, would like to make a suggestion for a future poem/topic of discussion, or would like a deeper analysis of this poem, please inform me by leaving a comment below. I will address any and all comments in the order they are received, as quickly as I can.))

A Poison Tree

A Poison Tree

by William Blake

I was angry with my friend,

I told my wrath, my wrath did end;

I was angry with my foe,

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water'd it in fears,

Night and morning with my tears;

And I sunned it with smiles,

And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,

Til it bore an apple bright;

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole

When the night had veil'd the pole:

In the morning glad I see

My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree.

I'm just going to leave this hear for you to read and enjoy, and hopefully think about. Just let it sink in and take from it what you will, though I think the message is a fairly clear one in this case.

As always, I'm happy to include an analysis, should someone ask for it.

((If you have any further questions, would like to make a suggestion for a future poem/topic of discussion, or would like a deeper analysis of this poem, please inform me by leaving a comment below. I will address any and all comments in the order they are received, as quickly as I can.))

The Passionate Nature

The Passionate Nature

Anonymous

With lips of a rose

And an embrace like firm vines

Ardor shall not wilt.

Just a little haiku for you all to tumble around in your heads. :)

She Was a Phantom of Delight

She Was a Phantom of Delight

by William Wordsworth

She was a Phantom of delight

When first she gleamed upon my sight;

A lovely Apparition, sent

To be a moment's ornament;

Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair;

Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair;

But all things else about her drawn

From May-time and the cheerful Dawn;

A dancing Shape, an Image gay,

To haunt, to startle, and way-lay.

I saw her upon nearer view,

A Spirit, yet a Woman too!

Her household motions light and free,

And steps of virgin-liberty;

A countenance in which did meet

Sweet records, promises as sweet;

A Creature not too bright or good

For human nature's daily food;

For transient sorrows, simple wiles,

Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene

The very pulse of the machine;

A Being breathing thoughtful breath,

A Traveller between life and death;

The reason firm, the temperate will,

Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;

A perfect Woman, nobly planned,

To warn, to comfort, and command;

And yet a Spirit still, and bright

With something of angelic light.

Sorry, folks, but I don't have any sort of analysis for you all today! If I have time later, I may come back and edit some information in for you... we'll see. As always, if you request it, I'll do my best to provide it.

((If you have any further questions, would like to make a suggestion for a future poem/topic of discussion, or would like a deeper analysis of this poem, please inform me by leaving a comment below. I will address any and all comments in the order they are received, as quickly as I can.))

Sudden Light

Sudden Light

by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

I have been here before,

But when or how I cannot tell;

I know the grass beyond the door,

The sweet keen smell,

The sighing sound, the lights around the shore.

You have been mine before,

How long ago I may not know:

But just when at the swallow's soar

Your neck turned so,

Some veil did fall - I knew it all of yore.

Has this been thus before?

And shall not thus time's eddying flight

Still with our lives our love restore

In death's despite,

And day and night yield one delight once more?

This is a particularly fun poem, in my opinion. Each of the three stanzas are composed of five lines, meaning we can call it a cinquain, a quintet, or a quintain. I have always heard quintain used more frequently in this case, so that is what I prefer to use. Cinquain can also be used when speaking about a specific syllable-counting form, as well as a different French-originating verse form, so I typically try to avoid use of that term at all costs just to avoid unnecessary confusion. It is, however, technically correct.

The meter is mixed, and I think it lends a more casual feel to what may have otherwise been a bit serious and eerie. The syllabic break down of the first stanza is as follows:

Line 1: 6 syllables (trimeter)
Line 2: 8 syllables (tetrameter)
Line 3: 8 syllables (tetrameter)
Line 4: 4 syllables (dimeter)
Line 5: 10 syllables (pentameter)

This is mimicked in the next two stanzas, though not necessarily to a "T".

It has a base rhyme scheme of ababa, meaning that the first, third, and fifth lines are interlinked, whereas the second and fourth also share a rhyme. The internal rhyme scheme of the pentameters is something to be appreciated, too, though. Inside of all this carefully considered syllabic structure, weighed out words, and thoughtful subject matter, he took the time to give us this little treat, too. Rossetti really was a master of near any craft he took it upon himself to learn. For your convenience in reading, the internal rhymes are italicized below:

1st Pentameter: The sighing sound, the lights around the shore.
2nd Pentameter: Some veil did fall - I knew it all of yore.
3rd Pentameter: And day and night yield one delight once more.

That's all the technical information I'll bore you with today. Let me know what you think!

((If you have any further questions, would like to make a suggestion for a future poem/topic of discussion, or would like a deeper analysis of this poem, please inform me by leaving a comment below. I will address any and all comments in the order they are received, as quickly as I can.))