Whoso List to Hunt
Sir Thomas Wyatt 1503 (Allington Castle, Kent) – 1542 (Clifton Maybank House, Dorset)
Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,
But as for me, helas! I may no more.
The vain travail hath worried me so sore,
I am of them that furthest come behind.
Yet may I by no means, my worried mind
Draw from the deer; but as she fleeth afore
Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
Since in a net I seek to hold the wind.
Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,
As well as I, may spend his time in vain;
And graven in diamonds in letters plain
There is written, her fair neck round about,
"Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,
And wild to hold, though I seem tame."
About this poem
"Whoso List to Hunt" is a poignant exploration of love, desire, and the challenges of pursuing the unattainable. Through the metaphor of the hunt, Wyatt crafts a complex narrative that combines courtly love conventions with personal and political undertones. The poem's emotional depth and intricate imagery contribute to its enduring appeal.
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified by acronimous on January 09, 2024
- 40 sec read
- 634 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABBAABBACDDCEF |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 594 |
Words | 136 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
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"Whoso List to Hunt" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 8 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/35430/whoso-list-to-hunt>.
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