To electra

Robert Herrick 1591 (London) – 1674 (Dean Prior)



I dare not ask a kiss,
I dare not beg a smile;
Lest having that, or this,
I might grow proud the while.

No, no, the utmost share
Of my desire shall be,
Only to kiss that air
That lately kissed thee,

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 23, 2023

13 sec read
213

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 199
Words 44
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 4, 4

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was born in London, England, in 1591. He was apprenticed to a goldsmith (his uncle, Sir William), but went to Cambridge, at St John's, in 1613. He was ordained at Peterborough in 1623 and became chaplain to the Duke of Buckingham a few years later. "Hesperides" - a collection of 1200 lyrical poems - was published in 1648 and it remained his magnum opus. Herrick died in 1674, aged 83. more…

All Robert Herrick poems | Robert Herrick Books

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