Analysis of Isolation



Man lives alone; star-like, each soul
   In its own orbit circles ever;
Myriads may by or round it roll --
   The ways may meet, but mingle never.

Self-pois'd, each soul its course pursues
   In light or dark, companionless:
Drop into drop may blend the dews --
   The spirit's law is loneliness.

If seemingly two souls unite,
   'Tis but as joins yon silent mere
The stream that through it, flashing bright,
   Carries its waters swift and clear.

The fringes of the rushing tide
   May on the lake's calm bosom sleep --
Its hidden spirit doth abide
   Apart, still bearing toward the deep.

O Love, to me more dear than life!
   O Friend, more faithful than a brother!
How many a bitter inward strife
   Our souls have never told each other!

We journey side by side for years,
   We dream our lives, our hopes are one --
And with some chance-said word appears
   The spanless gulf, so long unknown!

For candour's want yet neither blame;
   Even to ourselves but half-confessed,
Glows in each heart some silent flame,
   Blooms some hope-violet of the breast.

And temptings dark, and struggles deep
   There are, each soul alone must bear,
Through midnight hours unblest with sleep,
   Through burning noontides of despair.

And kindly is the ordinance sent
   By which each spirit dwells apart --
Could Love or Friendship live, if rent
   The "Bluebeard chambers of the heart"?


Scheme ABAB CCCX DEDE FGFG HBHB IXIX JKJK GLGL MNMN
Poetic Form Quatrain  (78%)
Metre 11011111 011101010 1111111 011111010 11111101 01111 10111101 01011100 1100111 11111101 01111101 10110101 01010101 11011101 11010101 011100101 11111111 111101010 110010101 1011101110 11011111 1110110111 01111101 0111101 1111101 1010011101 10111101 111100101 0110101 11110111 1110111 1101101 010101001 11110101 11110111 0110101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,384
Words 233
Sentences 12
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 36
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 115
Words per stanza (avg) 26
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:11 min read
116

Edward Booth Loughran

Edward Booth Loughran was born in Glasgow Scotland on the 13th December, 1850, of Irish parents. He received his primary educated in Northern Ireland. arriving in Australia during January, 1866. He taught as a Public school teacher in Queensland for several years prior to his journalistic career, and was employed on `Rockhampton Bulletin', `Brisbane Courier', and `Melbourne Argus'. Edward joined the Victorian Government `Hansard' in 1879, and in 1893 was appointed Chief of Staff. more…

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