Analysis of My Prime of Youth Is But a Frost of Cares

Chidiock Tichborne 1558 (Southampton) – 1586



My prime of youth is but a frost of cares,
My feast of joy is but a dish of pain,
My crop of corn is but a field of tares,
And all my good is but vain hope of gain.
The day is gone and I yet I saw no sun,
And now I live, and now my life is done.

The spring is past, and yet it hath not sprung,
The fruit is dead, and yet the leaves are green,
My youth is gone, and yet I am but young,
I saw the world, and yet I was not seen,
My thread is cut, and yet it was not spun,
And now I live, and now my life is done.

I sought my death and found it in my womb,
I look't for life and saw it was a shade,
I trode the earth and knew it was my tomb,
And now I die, and now I am but made.
The glass is full, and now the glass is run,
And now I live, and now my life is done.


Scheme ababcC dedecC fgfgcC
Poetic Form
Metre 1111110111 1111110111 1111110111 0111111111 01110111111 0111011111 0111011111 0111010111 1111011111 1101011111 1111011111 0111011111 1111011011 11111011101 1101011111 0111011111 0111010111 0111011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 769
Words 183
Sentences 6
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 18
Letters per line (avg) 31
Words per line (avg) 10
Letters per stanza (avg) 184
Words per stanza (avg) 60
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

55 sec read
91

Chidiock Tichborne

Chidiock Tichborne is an English conspirator and poet. more…

All Chidiock Tichborne poems | Chidiock Tichborne Books

0 fans

Discuss this Chidiock Tichborne poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "My Prime of Youth Is But a Frost of Cares" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/5688/my-prime-of-youth-is-but-a-frost-of-cares>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    More poems by

    Chidiock Tichborne

    »

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    2
    days
    11
    hours
    33
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Because I could not stop for _______ - He kindly stopped for me
    A Love
    B Death
    C Time
    D Hope