The Old Bridge At Florence
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807 (Portland) – 1882 (Cambridge)
Taddeo Gaddi built me. I am old,
Five centuries old. I plant my foot of stone
Upon the Arno, as St. Michael's own
Was planted on the dragon. Fold by fold
Beneath me as it struggles. I behold
Its glistening scales. Twice hath it overthrown
My kindred and companions. Me alone
It moveth not, but is by me controlled.
I can remember when the Medici
Were driven from Florence; longer still ago
The final wars of Ghibelline and Guelf.
Florence adorns me with her jewelry;
And when I think that Michael Angelo
Hath leaned on me, I glory in myself.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 30 sec read
- 114 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABBAABBACDECDE |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 536 |
Words | 102 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
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"The Old Bridge At Florence" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 12 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/18893/the-old-bridge-at-florence>.
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