Analysis of Early Adieux
Adieu to kindred hearts and home,
To pleasure, joy, and mirth,
A fitter foot than mine to roam
Could scarcely tread the earth ;
For they are now so few indeed
(Not more than three in all),
Who e'er will think of me or heed
What fate may me befall.
For I through pleasure's paths have run
My headlong goal to win,
Nor pleasure's snares have cared to shun
When pleasure sweetened sin.
Let those who will their failings mask,
To mine I frankly own ;
But for them pardon will I ask
Of none—save Heaven alone.
From carping friends I turn aside ;
At foes defiance frown ;
Yet time may tame my stubborn pride,
And break my spirit down.
Still, if to error I incline,
Truth whispers comfort strong,
That never reckless act of mine
E'er worked a comrade wrong.
My mother is a stately dame,
Who oft would chide with me ;
She saith my riot bringeth shame,
And stains my pedigree.
I'd reck not what my friends might know,
Or what the world might say,
Did I but think some tears would flow
When I am far away.
Perchance my mother will recall
My mem'ry with a sigh ;
My gentle sister's tears may fall,
And dim her laughing eye ;
Perhaps a loving thought may gleam,
And fringe its saddened ray,
When, like a nightmare's troubled dream,
I, outcast, pass away.
Then once again farewell to those
Who e'er for me have sighed ;
For pleasures melt away like snows,
And hopes like shadows glide.
Adieu, my mother ! if no more
Thy son's face thou may'st see,
At least those many cares are o'er
So ofttimes caused by me.
My lot is fixed ! The die is cast !
For me home hath no joy !
Oh, pardon then all follies past,
And bless your wayward boy !
And thou, from whom for aye to part
Grieves more than tongue can tell,
May Heaven preserve thy guileless heart !
Sweet sister, fare thee well !
Thou, too, whose loving-kindness makes
My resolution less,
While from the bitter past it takes
One half its bitterness,
If e'er you held my mem'ry dear,
Grant this request, I pray—
Give to that mem'ry one bright tear,
And let it pass away.
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFGHGH IJIJKLKL MNMNOPOP DQDQRPRP SISIXNXN TUTUVWVW XXXXXPXP |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 01110101 110101 01011111 110101 11111101 111101 110111111 111101 1111111 11111 1111111 110101 11111101 111101 11110111 1111001 11011101 110101 11111101 011101 11110101 110101 11010111 101011 11010101 111111 1111011 011100 11111111 110111 11111111 111101 0111011 11101 11010111 010101 01010111 011101 1101101 11101 1101111 1101111 11010111 01111 01110111 1111111 111101110 11111 11110111 111111 11011101 011101 01111111 111111 110011101 110111 11110101 10101 11010111 111100 11011111 110111 1111111 011101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,960 |
Words | 371 |
Sentences | 19 |
Stanzas | 8 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 64 |
Letters per line (avg) | 24 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 192 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 48 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:55 min read
- 135 Views
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"Early Adieux" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/153/early-adieux>.
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