Analysis of Grey

Constantine P. Cavafy 1863 (Alexandria) – 1933 (Alexandria)



Looking at an opal, a half-grey opal,
I remembered two beautiful grey eyes
I had seen it must have been twenty years before . . .

For a month we loved each other
Then he went away, I think to Smyrna,
To work there; we never saw each other again.

The grey eyes ---- if he lives ---- have lost their beauty;
The beautiful face will have been spoiled.

O Memory, preserve them as they were.
And, Memory, all you can of this love of mine
Whatever you can bring back to me tonight.


Scheme XXX AXX XX AXX
Poetic Form
Metre 10111001110 1010110011 111111110101 10111110 1110111110 111110111001 01111111110 010011111 1100011110 010011111111 1011111101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 473
Words 93
Sentences 8
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 3, 3, 2, 3
Lines Amount 11
Letters per line (avg) 32
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 89
Words per stanza (avg) 24
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 03, 2023

27 sec read
143

Constantine P. Cavafy

Constantine P. Cavafy was a Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and worked as a journalist and civil servant. He published 154 poems; dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. His most important poetry was written after his fortieth birthday. more…

All Constantine P. Cavafy poems | Constantine P. Cavafy Books

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