Analysis of Bitterness
Victoria Sackville-West 1862 (Paris) – 1936 (Roedean, Sussex)
Yes, they were kind exceedingly; most mild
Even in indignation, taking by the hand
One that obeyed them mutely, as a child
Submissive to a law he does not understand.
They would not blame the sins his passion wrought.
No, they were tolerant and Christian, saying, 'We
Only deplore ...' saying they only sought
To help him, strengthen him, to show him love; but he
Following them with unrecalcitrant tread,
Quiet, towards their town of kind captivities,
Having slain rebellion, ever turned his head
Over his shoulder, seeking still with his poor eyes
Her motionless figure on the road. The song
Rang still between them, vibrant bell to answering bell,
Full of young glory as a bugle; strong;
Still brave; now breaking like a sea-bird's cry 'Farewell!'
And they, they whispered kindly to him 'Come!
Now we have rescued you. Let your heart heal. Forget!
She was your lawless dark familiar.' Dumb,
He listened, and they thought him acquiescent. Yet,
(Knowing the while that they were very kind)
Remembrance clamoured in him: 'She was wild and free,
Magnificent in giving; she was blind
To gain or loss, and, loving, loved but me,--but me!
'Valiant she was, and comradely, and bold;
High-mettled; all her thoughts a challenge, like gay ships
Adventurous, with treasure in the hold.
I met her with the lesson put into my lips,
'Spoke reason to her, and she bowed her head,
Having no argument, and giving up the strife.
She said I should be free. I think she said
That, for the asking, she would give me all her life.'
And still they led him onwards, and he still
Looked back towards her standing there; and they, content,
Cheered him and praised him that he did their will.
The gradual distance hid them, and she turned, and went.
Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IJIJ KDKD LFLF EMEM NONO |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain |
Metre | 1101010011 10001010101 110111101 01010111101 1111011101 110100010101 1001101101 111101111111 1001111 100111111 10101010111 101101011111 01001010101 1101110111001 1111010101 11110101111 0111010111 111101111101 1111010101 110011111 1001110101 01010111101 0100010111 111101011111 10110101 11101010111 0100110001 110101010111 1101001101 101100010101 1111111111 110101111101 0111110011 110101010110 1101111111 0100101101101 |
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 1,697 |
Words | 307 |
Sentences | 19 |
Stanzas | 9 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 36 |
Letters per line (avg) | 37 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 149 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 33 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:31 min read
- 52 Views
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"Bitterness" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/37845/bitterness>.
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