Analysis of The Sexes
See in the babe two loveliest flowers united--yet in truth,
While in the bud they seem the same--the virgin and the youth!
But loosened is the gentle bond, no longer side by side--
From holy shame the fiery strength will soon itself divide.
Permit the youth to sport, and still the wild desire to chase,
For, but when sated, weary strength returns to seek the grace.
Yet in the bud, the double flowers the future strife begin,
How precious all--yet naught can still the longing heart within.
In ripening charms the virgin bloom to woman shape hath grown,
But round the ripening charms the pride hath clasped its guardian zone;
Shy, as before the hunter's horn the doe all trembling moves,
She flies from man as from a foe, and hates before she loves!
From lowering brows this struggling world the fearless youth observes,
And hardened for the strife betimes, he strains the willing nerves;
Far to the armed throng and to the race prepared to start,
Inviting glory calls him forth, and grasps the troubled heart:--
Protect thy work, O Nature now! one from the other flies,
Till thou unitest each at last that for the other sighs.
There art thou, mighty one! where'er the discord darkest frown,
Thou call'st the meek harmonious peace, the god-like soother down.
The noisy chase is lulled asleep, day's clamor dies afar,
And through the sweet and veiled air in beauty comes the star.
Soft-sighing through the crisped reeds, the brooklet glides along,
And every wood the nightingale melodious fills with song.
O virgin! now what instinct heaves thy bosom with the sigh?
O youth! and wherefore steals the tear into thy dreaming eye?
Alas! they seek in vain within the charm around bestowed,
The tender fruit is ripened now, and bows to earth its load.
And restless goes the youth to feed his heart upon its fire,
All, where the gentle breath to cool the flame of young desire!
And now they meet--the holy love that leads them lights their eyes,
And still behind the winged god the winged victory flies.
O heavenly love!--'tis thy sweet task the human flowers to bind,
For ay apart, and yet by thee forever intertwined!
Scheme | AABBCCDDEEXX FFGGHHIIJJKKLLMMNNHHOO |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 10011110010101 10011101010001 11010101110111 110101001110101 010111010101011 11110101011101 100101010010101 11011111010101 010010101110111 1101001011111001 110101010111001 11111101010111 1100111001010101 0101011110101 1101101010111 01010111010101 01111101110101 111111110101 11110110010101 111010100101111 01011101110101 0101011010101 110101101101 0100101000100111 11011101110101 1101101011101 01110101010101 01011101011111 010101111101110 110101110111010 01110101111111 0101011011001 1100111110101011 11010111010001 |
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 2,088 |
Words | 373 |
Sentences | 22 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 12, 22 |
Lines Amount | 34 |
Letters per line (avg) | 49 |
Words per line (avg) | 11 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 834 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 185 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:53 min read
- 42 Views
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"The Sexes" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/14425/the-sexes>.
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