Analysis of Of My Lady Isabella Playing on the Lute

Edmund Waller 1606 (Coleshill) – 1687



Such moving sounds from such a careless touch,
So unconcerned herself, and we so much!
What art is this, that with so little pains
Transports us thus, and o'er the spirit reigns?
The trembling strings about her fingers crowd
And tell their joy for every kiss aloud.
Small force there needs to make them tremble so;
Touched by that hand, who would not tremble too?
Here love takes stand, and while she charms the ear,
Empties his quiver on the listening deer:
Music so softens and disarms the mind
That not an arrow does resistance find.
Thus the fair tyrant celebrates the prize,
And acts herself the the triumph of her eyes.
So Nero once with harp in hand surveyed
His flaming Rome, and as it burned he played.


Scheme AABBCCDEFGHHIIJJ
Poetic Form
Metre 1101110101 101010111 1111111101 01110100101 01001010101 01111100101 1111111101 1111111101 1111011101 10110101001 101100101 1111010101 101101001 01010010101 1101110101 1101011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 719
Words 131
Sentences 8
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 16
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 564
Words per stanza (avg) 129
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
99

Edmund Waller

Edmund Waller, FRS was an English poet and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1679. more…

All Edmund Waller poems | Edmund Waller Books

0 fans

Discuss this Edmund Waller poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Of My Lady Isabella Playing on the Lute" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/9316/of-my-lady-isabella-playing-on-the-lute>.

    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!

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    27
    days
    14
    hours
    13
    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?

    »
    Which poetic form consists of fourteen lines, typically written in iambic pentameter and follows a specific rhyme scheme?
    A Ballad
    B Sonnet
    C Free verse
    D Haiku