Analysis of In Memoriam A. H. H.: 45. The baby new to earth and sky



The baby new to earth and sky,
        What time his tender palm is prest
        Against the circle of the breast,
    Has never thought that "this is I":
    But as he grows he gathers much,
        And learns the use of "I," and "me,"
        And finds "I am not what I see,
    And other than the things I touch."
    So rounds he to a separate mind
       From whence clear memory may begin,
       As thro' the frame that binds him in
   His isolation grows defined.

This use may lie in blood and breath
       Which else were fruitless of their due,
       Had man to learn himself anew
   Beyond the second birth of Death.


Scheme ABBACDDCEFFE GHHG
Poetic Form
Metre 01011101 11110111 01010101 11011111 11111101 01011101 01111111 01010111 11110101 111100101 11011110 1010101 11110101 11010111 11110101 01010111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 626
Words 114
Sentences 4
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 12, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 210
Words per stanza (avg) 55
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

33 sec read
46

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular British poets.  more…

All Alfred Lord Tennyson poems | Alfred Lord Tennyson Books

13 fans

Discuss this Alfred Lord Tennyson poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "In Memoriam A. H. H.: 45. The baby new to earth and sky" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/1013/in-memoriam-a.-h.-h.%3A-45.-the-baby-new-to-earth-and-sky>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    4
    days
    8
    hours
    21
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    A haiku has ________ lines.
    A 2
    B 3
    C 5
    D 4