Analysis of Sonnet XLIII: While From the Dizzy Precipice

Mary Darby Robinson 1757 (England) – 1800 (England)



While from the dizzy precipice I gaze,
The world receding from my pensive eyes,
High o'er my head the tyrant eagle flies,
Cloth'd in the sinking sun's transcendent blaze!
The meek-ey'd moon, 'midst clouds of amber plays
As o'er the purpling plains of light she hies,
Till the last stream of living lustre dies,
And the cool concave owns her temper'd rays!
So shall this glowing, palpitating soul,
Welcome returning Reason's placid beam,
While o'er my breast the waves Lethean roll,
To calm rebellious Fancy's fev'rish dream;
Then shall my Lyre disdain love's dread control,
And loftier passions, prompt the loftier theme!


Scheme ABBAAABACDCDCD
Poetic Form
Metre 1101010011 0101011101 11011010101 1001010101 0111111101 1100111111 1011110101 0010110101 1111010001 100101101 110110111 11010111 1111011101 010010101001
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 616
Words 104
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 491
Words per stanza (avg) 102
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
77

Mary Darby Robinson

Mary Robinson was an English actress, poet, dramatist, novelist, and celebrity figure. more…

All Mary Darby Robinson poems | Mary Darby Robinson Books

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