The Sonnet
Edith Wharton 1862 (New York City) – 1937 (Saint-Brice-sous-Forêt)
PURE form, that like some chalice of old time
Contain'st the liquid of the poet's thought
Within thy curving hollow, gem-enwrought
With interwoven traceries of rhyme,
While o'er thy brim the bubbling fancies climb,
What thing am I, that undismayed have sought
To pour my verse with trembling hand untaught
Into a shape so small yet so sublime?
Because perfection haunts the hearts of men,
Because thy sacred chalice gathered up
The wine of Petrarch, Shakspere, Shelley -- then
Receive these tears of failure as they drop
(Sole vintage of my life), since I am fain
To pour them in a consecrated cup.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 32 sec read
- 96 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABBAABBACDCEFD |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 606 |
Words | 105 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
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"The Sonnet" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 6 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/9103/the-sonnet>.
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