Analysis of Preparatory Meditations - Second Series: 146
Edward Taylor 1642 (Coventry) – 1729
(Canticles 6:13. Return, oh Shulamite, Return, Return)
My dear, dear Lord, I know not what to say:
Speech is too coarse a web for me to clothe
My love to Thee in or it to array
Or make a mantle. Would'st Thou not such loathe?
Thy love to me's too great for me to shape
A vesture for the same at any rate.
When as Thy love doth touch my heart down-tossed
It tremblingly runs, seeking Thee its all,
And as a child when it his nurse hath lost
Runs seeking her, and after her doth call.
So when Thou hid'st from me, I seek and sigh.
Thou sayest, 'Return, return, Oh Shulamite.'
Rent out on use Thy love, Thy love I pray.
My love to Thee shall be Thy rent, and I
Thee use on use, int'rest on int'rest pay.
There's none extortion in such usury.
I'll pay Thee use on for 't and therefore
Thou shalt become the greatest usurer.
But yet the principal I'll ne'er restore.
The same is Thine and mine. We shall not jar.
And so this blessed usury shall be
Most profitable both to Thee and me.
And shouldst Thou hide Thy shining face most fair
Away from me. And in a sinking wise
My trembling beating heart brought nigh t' despair
Should cry to Thee and in a trembling guise,
Lord, quicken it. Drop in its ears delight,
Saying, 'Return, return, my Shulamite.'
Scheme | X ABABXC DEDEFC AFAG HGHXGG IJIJXC |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 101110101 1111111111 1111011111 1111011101 11010111111 1111111111 011011101 1111111111 11110111 0101111111 1100010011 11111111101 11010111 1111111111 1111111101 11111111 1101001100 111111101 11010101 1101001101 0111011111 011110011 1100011101 0111110111 0111000101 110010111101 11110001001 1101101101 10010111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,226 |
Words | 245 |
Sentences | 19 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 1, 6, 6, 4, 6, 6 |
Lines Amount | 29 |
Letters per line (avg) | 33 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 158 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 40 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:15 min read
- 54 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Preparatory Meditations - Second Series: 146" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/9812/preparatory-meditations---second-series%3A-146>.
Discuss this Edward Taylor poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In