The Spectrum

William Cosmo Monkhouse 1840 (London) – 1901



HOW many colors here do we see set,  
Like rings upon God’s finger? Some say three,  
Some four, some six, some seven. All agree  
To left of red, to right of violet,  
Waits darkness deep as night and black as jet.
 
And so we know what Noah saw we see,  
Nor less nor more—of God’s emblazonry  
A shred—a sign of glory known not yet.  
If red can glide to yellow, green to blue,  
What joys may yet await our wider eyes
When we rewake upon a wider shore!  
What deep pulsations, exquisite and new!  
What keener, swifter raptures may surprise  
Men born to see the rainbow and no more!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

33 sec read
25

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBXA BBACDECDE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 591
Words 111
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 5, 9

William Cosmo Monkhouse

William Cosmo Monkhouse, English poet and critic. more…

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