Analysis of The Glow-Worm To Her Love

Edith Nesbit 1858 (Kennington, Surrey ) – 1924 (New Romney, Kent)



BENEATH cool ferns, in dewy grass,
Among the leaves that fringe the stream,
I hear the feet of lovers pass,
--I hide all day, and dream.

But when the night, with wide soft wings,
Droops on the trembling waiting wood,
And lulls the restless woodland things
Within its solitude,

Ah, then my soft green lamp I light,
That thou may'st find me by its fire--
Come, crown me, O my winged delight
My darling, my desire.

Yet they who praise the lamp I bear
Have never a word of praise for thee,
My love, my life, my King of Air,
Who lightest the lamp in me.

Thine, thine should be the praise they give
My King, who art all praise above,
Since but for thee I dream and live,
And light the lamp of love.


Scheme ABAB CXCX DEDE FGFG XHXH
Poetic Form Quatrain  (80%)
Etheree  (35%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 01110101 01011101 11011101 111101 11011111 110100101 0101011 01110 11111111 1111111110 11111101 1101010 11110111 110011111 11111111 1100101 11110111 11111101 11111101 010111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 700
Words 137
Sentences 5
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 105
Words per stanza (avg) 27
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 13, 2023

41 sec read
131

Edith Nesbit

Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party. more…

All Edith Nesbit poems | Edith Nesbit Books

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