Analysis of Midnight

Henry Vaughan 1621 (Brecknockshire) – 1695



WHEN to my Eyes
Whilst deep sleep others catches,
           Thine host of spies,
The stars, shine in their watches,
           I do survey
           Each busy ray,
And how they work, and wind ;
           And wish each beam
           My soul doth stream
With the like ardour shin'd ;
           What emanations,
           Quick vibrations,
And bright stirs are there !
           What thin ejections,
           Cold affections,
And slow motions here !
2.

Thy heav'ns, some say,
Are a fiery-liquid light,
           Which mingling aye
Streams, and flames thus to the sight.
           Come then, my God !
           Shine on this blood
And water, in one beam ;
           And Thou shalt see
           Kindled by Thee
Both liquors burn, and stream.
           O what bright quickness,
           Active brightness,
And celestial flows,
           Will follow after
           On that water,
Which Thy Spirit blows !


Scheme ABABCCDEEDFFXAFXX CGXGXXEHHEIIJKKJ
Poetic Form
Metre 1111 1111010 1111 0110110 1101 1101 011101 0111 1111 10111 1010 1010 01111 111 1010 01101 1 1111 10100101 11001 1011101 1111 1111 010011 0111 1011 110101 11110 1010 00101 11010 1110 11101
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 936
Words 127
Sentences 8
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 17, 16
Lines Amount 33
Letters per line (avg) 17
Words per line (avg) 4
Letters per stanza (avg) 278
Words per stanza (avg) 66
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 23, 2023

38 sec read
67

Henry Vaughan

Henry Vaughan was a Welsh author, physician and metaphysical poet. Vaughan and his twin brother, the hermetic philosopher and alchemist Thomas Vaughan, were the sons of Thomas Vaughan and his wife Denise of 'Trenewydd', Newton, in Brecknockshire, Wales. Their grandfather, William, was the owner of Tretower Court. Vaughan spent most of his life in the village of Llansantffraed, near Brecon, where he is also buried. more…

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