Analysis of Sonnet XIV: Youth's Spring-Tribute

Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1828 (London) – 1882 (Birchington-on-Sea)



On this sweet bank your head thrice sweet and dear
I lay, and spread your hair on either side,
And see the newborn woodflowers bashful-eyed
Look through the golden tresses here and there.
On these debateable borders of the year
Spring's foot half falters; scarce she yet may know
The leafless blackthorn-blossom from the snow;
And through her bowers the wind's way still is clear.
But April's sun strikes down the glades to-day;
So shut your eyes upturned, and feel my kiss
Creep, as the Spring now thrills through every spray,
Up your warm throat to your warm lips: for this
Is even the hour of Love's sworn suitservice,
With whom cold hearts are counted castaway.


Scheme ABBCADDAEFEFFE
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111101 1101111101 010101101 1101010101 11110101 1111011111 010110101 01010011111 1101110111 111110111 11011111001 1111111111 1100101111 111111010
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 660
Words 118
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 38
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 530
Words per stanza (avg) 116
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
51

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English poet, illustrator, painter and translator. more…

All Dante Gabriel Rossetti poems | Dante Gabriel Rossetti Books

1 fan

Discuss this Dante Gabriel Rossetti poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Sonnet XIV: Youth's Spring-Tribute" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/7672/sonnet-xiv%3A-youth%27s-spring-tribute>.

    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
    5
    hours
    20
    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 poem "School Boy" as a part of the poetry collection entitled "Songs of Experience"?
    A William Wordworth
    B Robert Frost
    C William Blake
    D Walt Whitman