Analysis of Jesus, Do I Love Thee?

Christina Georgina Rossetti 1830 (London) – 1894 (London)



Jesus, do I love Thee?
Thou art far above me,
Seated out of sight
Hid in Heavenly Light
Of most highest height.
Martyred hosts implore Thee,
Seraphs fall before Thee,
Angels and Archangels,
Cherub throngs adore Thee;
Blessed She that bore Thee!
All the Saints approve Thee,
All the Virgins love Thee.
I show as a blot
Blood hath cleansed not,
As a barren spot
In Thy fruitful lot.
I, fig-tree fruit-unbearing;
Thou, righteous Judge unsparing:
What canst Thou do more to me
That shall not more undo me?
Thy Justice hath a sound—
Why cumbereth it the ground?
Thy Love with stirrings stronger
Pleads—Give it one year longer.
Thou giv'st me time: but who
Save Thou shall give me dew;
Shall feed my root with Blood,
And stir my sap for good?
Oh, by Thy Gifts that shame me,
Give more lest they condemn me:
Good Lord, I ask much of Thee,
But most I ask to love Thee;
Kind Lord, be mindful of me,
Love me, and make me love Thee.


Scheme AABBBAACAAAADDDDEEAAFFGGHHIJAAAAAA
Poetic Form
Metre 101111 111011 10111 101001 11101 101011 11011 10010 101011 11111 101011 101011 11101 1111 10101 01101 11111 1101010 1111111 1111011 110101 11101 1111010 1111110 111111 111111 111111 011111 1111111 1111011 1111111 1111111 1111011 1101111
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 903
Words 175
Sentences 11
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 34
Lines Amount 34
Letters per line (avg) 21
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 710
Words per stanza (avg) 173
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 09, 2023

52 sec read
75

Christina Georgina Rossetti

Christina Georgina Rossetti was an English poet who wrote various romantic, devotional, and children's poems. "Goblin Market" and "Remember" remain famous. She wrote the words of two Christmas carols well known in the UK: "In the Bleak Midwinter", later set by Gustav Holst and by Harold Darke, and "Love Came Down at Christmas", set by Harold Darke and by other composers. more…

All Christina Georgina Rossetti poems | Christina Georgina Rossetti Books

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