Analysis of The Pilgrim of Life.
Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton 1808 (Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Sheridan London) – 1877 (London)
PILGRIM, who toilest up life's weary steep,
To reach the summit still with pleasure crowned;
Born but to sigh and smile; to sin and weep,
Dost mark the busy multitudes around?
Dost mourn, with those who tread with fainting feet,
And blighted worn-out heart, the self same road?
Dost laugh with those who think their travel sweet,
And deem existence no unwelcome load?-
Ah, no! unconscious of their joy or woe,
Quick hurrying onward still, or gazing back,
With feeble lustre round their planet glow
A few beloved, connected with thy track;
Dear links of life, for whom to toil is bliss;
Circlet of stars in young hope's diadem;
Gay lightsome hearts who know no joy but this-
To be together is enough for them.
Thou pausest on thy way-one light is set-
No power of love relumes the torch of life;
Whate'er it was, 'tis lost-and vain regret
Pursues the rosy babe, or faithful wife.
'Tis past-'tis gone-the brightness of those eyes
Can cheer no more thy melancholy home:
But grief may not endure-new joys arise;
The past is not-but thou hast years to come!
New joys arise-eager thou pressest on,
Hope's brilliant mockery deceiving still.
And now thou weepest o'er delusions gone,
Now hail'st with transport days devoid of ill.
Yet ever as thou goest on thy way,
However bright may be the present hour,
Clings to thy mind with brightest, purest ray,
The joy thou could'st not hold, the faded flower-
Still dearest seems the past; and as each light,
Extinguished, leaves thee lone, through memory's tears
More dim the future rises to thy sight,
More bright the visions of thine early years.
Pilgrim of Life! why slackenest thou thy speed?
Why is that brow of eager hope o'ercast?
A pause-a struggle-and the hour decreed
Mingles for aye the present with the past!
Scheme | ABABCDCDEFEFGHGH IJIJKXKXXLXLMNMNOXOXPBPX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Tetractys (20%) |
Metre | 101111101 1101011101 1111011101 110101001 1111111101 0101110111 1111111101 0101010101 111011111 11001011101 1101011101 0101010111 1111111111 11101110 111111111 1101010111 111111111 1101110111 1011110101 0101011101 1111010111 111111001 1111011101 0111111111 110110111 1101000101 0111100101 11110110111 110111111 1011101010 1111110101 011111101010 1101010111 010111111 1101010111 1101011101 101111111 111111011 01010001001 1011010101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,725 |
Words | 309 |
Sentences | 15 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 16, 24 |
Lines Amount | 40 |
Letters per line (avg) | 34 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 688 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 153 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:35 min read
- 90 Views
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"The Pilgrim of Life." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/4818/the-pilgrim-of-life.>.
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