Analysis of The Rosy Bosom’d Hours

Coventry Patmore 1823 (Woodford, London) – 1896 (Lymington)



A florin to the willing Guard
Secured, for half the way,
(He lock'd us in, ah, lucky-starr'd,)
A curtain'd, front coupé.
The sparkling sun of August shone;
The wind was in the West;
Your gown and all that you had on
Was what became you best;
And we were in that seldom mood
When soul with soul agrees,
Mingling, like flood with equal flood,
In agitated ease.
Far round, each blade of harvest bare
Its little load of bread;
Each furlong of that journey fair
With separate sweetness sped.
The calm of use was coming o'er
The wonder of our wealth,
And now, maybe, 'twas not much more
Than Eden's common health.
We paced the sunny platform, while
The train at Havant changed:
What made the people kindly smile,
Or stare with looks estranged?
Too radiant for a wife you seem'd,
Serener than a bride;
Me happiest born of men I deem'd,
And show'd perchance my pride.
I loved that girl, so gaunt and tall,
Who whispered loud, ‘Sweet Thing!’
Scanning your figure, slight yet all
Round as your own gold ring.
At Salisbury you stray'd alone
Within the shafted glooms,
Whilst I was by the Verger shown
The brasses and the tombs.
At tea we talk'd of matters deep,
Of joy that never dies;
We laugh'd, till love was mix'd with sleep
Within your great sweet eyes.
The next day, sweet with luck no less
And sense of sweetness past,
The full tide of our happiness
Rose higher than the last.
At Dawlish, 'mid the pools of brine,
You stept from rock to rock,
One hand quick tightening upon mine,
One holding up your frock.
On starfish and on weeds alone
You seem'd intent to be:
Flash'd those great gleams of hope unknown
From you, or from the sea?
Ne'er came before, ah, when again
Shall come two days like these:
Such quick delight within the brain,
Within the heart such peace?
I thought, indeed, by magic chance,
A third from Heaven to win,
But as, at dusk, we reach'd Penzance,
A drizzling rain set in.


Scheme ABACDEFEGHIHJKJKLMNMOPOPQRQRSTSTDHDUVWVWXYZY1 2 1 2 D3 D3 4 H5 6 7 8 H8
Poetic Form Etheree  (32%)
Metre 01010101 011101 11101101 0111 01011101 011001 11011111 110111 01001101 111101 100111101 01001 11111101 110111 1111101 110101 011111010 0101101 01101111 11101 1101011 01111 11010101 111101 110010111 1101 110011111 010111 11111101 110111 10110111 111111 11001101 010101 1111011 010001 11111101 111101 11111111 011111 01111111 011101 011110100 110101 1110111 111111 111100011 110111 1101101 110111 11111101 111101 11011101 111111 11010101 010111 11011101 0111011 1111111 0100110
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,842
Words 351
Sentences 16
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 60
Lines Amount 60
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 1,452
Words per stanza (avg) 347
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 02, 2023

1:50 min read
62

Coventry Patmore

Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore was an English poet and critic best known for The Angel in the House, his narrative poem about an ideal happy marriage. more…

All Coventry Patmore poems | Coventry Patmore Books

0 fans

Discuss this Coventry Patmore poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Rosy Bosom’d Hours" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/7392/the-rosy-bosom%E2%80%99d-hours>.

    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!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    1
    day
    8
    hours
    11
    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?

    »
    Who wrote the epic poem "Os Lusíadas" in 1572?
    A Miguel Cervantes
    B Fernando Pessoa
    C Cesário Verde
    D Luís de Camões