Analysis of The Despairing Shepherd



Alexis shun'd his Fellow Swains,
Their rural Sports, and jocund Strains:
(Heav'n guard us all from Cupid's Bow!)
He lost his Crook, He left his Flocks;
And wand'ring thro' the lonely Rocks,
He nourish'd endless Woe.
The Nymphs and Shepherds round Him came:
His Grief Some pity, Others blame:
The fatal Cause All kindly seek.
He mingled his Concern with Their's:
He gave 'em back their friendly Tears:
He sigh'd, but would not speak.
Clorinda came among the rest:
And She too kind Concern exprest,
And ask'd the Reason of his Woe:
She ask'd, but with an Air and Mein,
That made it easily foreseen,
She fear'd too much to know.
The Shepherd rais'd his mournful Head:
And will You pardon Me, He said,
While I the cruel Truth reveal?
Which nothing from my Breast should tear;
Which never should offend Your Ear;
But that You bid Me tell.
'Tis thus I rove, 'tis thus complain;
Since You appear'd upon the Plain:
You are the Cause of all my Care:
Your Eyes ten thousand Dangers dart:
Ten thousand Torments vex My Heart:
I love, and I despair.
Too much, Alexis, I have heard:
'Tis what I thought; 'tis what I fear'd:
And yet I pardon You, She cry'd:
But You shall promise ne'er again
To breath your Vows, or speak your Pain:
He bow'd, obey'd, and dy'd.


Scheme AABAACDDEAAEFFCGGCHHIJKLMMJNNJOPFQMR
Poetic Form
Metre 01011101 1101011 1111111 11111111 01110101 110101 01010111 11110101 01011101 11010111 11111101 111111 01010101 0111011 01010111 11111101 1111001 111111 01011101 01110111 11010101 11011111 11010111 111111 11111101 11010101 11011111 11110101 1101111 110101 11010111 11111111 01110111 11110101 11111111 110101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,218
Words 230
Sentences 10
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 36
Lines Amount 36
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 943
Words per stanza (avg) 227
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:14 min read
102

Matthew Prior

Matthew Prior was an English poet and diplomat. more…

All Matthew Prior poems | Matthew Prior Books

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