Reciprocal

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749 (Frankfurt) – 1832 (Weimar)



MY mistress, where sits she?

What is it that charms?
The absent she's rocking,

Held fast in her arms.

In pretty cage prison'd

She holds a bird still;
Yet lets him fly from her,

Whenever he will.

He pecks at her finger,

And pecks at her lips,
And hovers and flutters,

And round her he skips.

Then hasten thou homeward,

In fashion to be;
If thou hast the maiden,

She also hath thee.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

23 sec read
411

Quick analysis:

Scheme A BX B X CD C D EX E X AX A
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 373
Words 75
Stanzas 12
Stanza Lengths 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer and politician. more…

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    "Reciprocal" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/21758/reciprocal>.

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