Analysis of The Incarnation, And Passion

Henry Vaughan 1621 (Brecknockshire) – 1695



LORD, when Thou didst Thyself undress,
Laying by Thy robes of glory,
To make us more, Thou wouldst be less,
And becam'st a woful story.

To put on clouds instead of light,
And clothe the morning-star with dust,
Was a translation of such height
As, but in Thee, was ne'er express'd.

Brave worms and earth ! that thus could have
A God enclos'd within your cell,
Your Maker pent up in a grave,
Life lock'd in death, heav'n in a shell !

Ah, my dear Lord ! what couldst thou spy
In this impure, rebellious clay,
That made Thee thus resolve to die
For those that kill Thee every day ?

O what strange wonders could Thee move
To slight Thy precious blood, and breath ?
Sure it was love, my Lord ! for love
Is only stronger far than death !


Scheme ABAB CXCX XDXD EFEF XGXG
Poetic Form Quatrain  (80%)
Etheree  (30%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 1111101 10111110 11111111 010110 11110111 01010111 10010111 11011101 11011111 01010111 11011001 11011001 11111111 01010101 11110111 111111001 11110111 11110101 11111111 11010111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 738
Words 137
Sentences 10
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 111
Words per stanza (avg) 28
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

42 sec read
114

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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