Analysis of Sonnet XXI: Why Do I Live
Mary Darby Robinson 1757 (England) – 1800 (England)
Why do I live to loath the cheerful day,
To shun the smiles of Fame, and mark the hours
On tardy pinions move, while ceaseless show'rs
Down my wan cheek in lucid currents stray?
My tresses all abound, nor gems display,
Nor scents Arabian! on my path no flow'rs
Imbibe the morn's resuscitating pow'rs,
For one blank sorrow, saddens all my way!
As slow the radiant Sun of reason rose,
Through tears my dying parents saw it shine;
A brother's frailties, swell'd the tide of woes,-
And, keener far, maternal griefs were mine!
Phaon! if soon these weary eyes shall close,
Oh! must that task, that mournful task, be thine?
Scheme | ABBAABBACDCDED |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1111110101 11011101010 110111101 1111010101 1101011101 11010011111 010101001 1111010111 11010011101 1111010111 0101010111 0101010101 111110111 1111110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 611 |
Words | 113 |
Sentences | 8 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
Lines Amount | 14 |
Letters per line (avg) | 34 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 477 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 110 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 35 sec read
- 61 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Sonnet XXI: Why Do I Live" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/26802/sonnet-xxi%3A-why-do-i-live>.
Discuss this Mary Darby Robinson poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In