Analysis of Sonnet 81: Oh Kiss, Which Dost

Sir Philip Sidney 1554 (Penshurst, Kent) – 1586 (Zutphen)



Oh kiss, which dost those ruddy gems impart,
Or gems, or fruits of new-found Paradise,
Breathing all bliss and sweet'ning to the heart,
Teaching dumb lips a nobler exercise;

Oh kiss, which souls, even souls, together ties
By links of Love, and only Nature's art:
How fain would I paint thee to all men's eyes,
Or of thy gifts at least shade out some part;

But she forbids, with blushing words, she says
She builds her fame on higher-seated praise;
But my heart burns, I cannot silent be.

Then since (dear life) you fain would have me peace,
And I, mad with delight, want wit to cease,
Stop you my mouth with still, still kissing me.


Scheme AXAB BABA XXC DDC
Poetic Form
Metre 1111110101 111111110 1011011101 101101010 11111010101 1111010101 1111111111 1111111111 1101110111 1101110101 1111110101 1111111111 0111011111 1111111101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 640
Words 118
Sentences 3
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 122
Words per stanza (avg) 29
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 13, 2023

36 sec read
136

Sir Philip Sidney

Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. more…

All Sir Philip Sidney poems | Sir Philip Sidney Books

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