Analysis of Sonnet 38 - First time he kissed me, he but only kissed

Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806 (Kelloe) – 1861 (Florence)



First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write;
And ever since, it grew more clean and white,
Slow to world-greetings, quick with its 'Oh, list,'
When the angels speak. A ring of amethyst
I could not wear here, plainer to my sight,
Than that first kiss. The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair. O beyond meed!
That was the chrism of love, which love's own crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.
The third upon my lips was folded down
In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said, 'My love, my own.'


Scheme ABBAABBAACDCDE
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111101 010111111 0101111101 1111011111 10101011100 1111110111 1111010101 0101010011 1101011011 1101111111 1110101 0101111101 0011011101 1111011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 643
Words 122
Sentences 7
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 492
Words per stanza (avg) 117
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 11, 2023

36 sec read
157

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era. more…

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