Analysis of Sonnet 143: Lo, as a careful huswife runs to catch

William Shakespeare 1564 (Stratford-upon-Avon) – 1616 (Stratford-upon-Avon)



Lo, as a careful huswife runs to catch
One of her feathered creatures broke away,
Sets down her babe and makes all swift dispatch
In pursuit of the thing she would have stay,
Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,
Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent
To follow that which flies before her face,
Not prizing her poor infant's discontent:
So runn'st thou after that which flies from thee,
Whilst I, thy babe, chase thee afar behind;
But if thou catch thy hope turn back to me,
And play the mother's part: kiss me, be kind.
    So will I pray that thou mayst have thy Will,
    If thou turn back and my loud crying still.


Scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG
Poetic Form Shakespearean sonnet 
Metre 110101111 1101010101 1101011101 0011011111 1001011001 1110110111 1101110101 110110001 1111011111 1111110101 1111111111 0101011111 1111111111 1111011101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 627
Words 121
Sentences 3
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 487
Words per stanza (avg) 119
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 28, 2023

37 sec read
76

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". more…

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