Analysis of Cloe Jealous
Matthew Prior 1664 – 1721
Forbear to ask Me, why I weep;
Vext Cloe to her Shepherd said:
'Tis for my Two poor stragling Sheep
Perhaps, or for my Squirrel dead.
For mind I what You late have writ?
Your subtle Questions, and Replies;
Emblems, to teach a Female Wit
The Ways, where changing Cupid flies.
Your Riddle, purpos'd to rehearse
The general Pow'r that Beauty has:
But why did no peculiar Verse
Describe one Charm of Cloe's Face?
The Glass, which was at Venus' Shrine,
With such Mysterious Sorrow laid:
The Garland (and You call it Mine)
Which show'd how Youth and Beauty fade.
Ten thousand Trifles light as These
Nor can my Rage, nor Anger move:
She shou'd be humble, who wou'd please:
And She must suffer, who can love.
When in My Glass I chanc'd to look;
Of Venus what did I implore?
That ev'ry Grace which thence I took,
Shou'd know to charm my Damon more.
Reading Thy Verse; who heeds, said I,
If here or there his Glances flew?
O free for ever be His Eye,
Whose Heart to Me is always true.
My Bloom indeed, my little Flow'r
Of Beauty quickly lost it's Pride:
For sever'd from it's Native Bow'r,
It on Thy glowing Bosom dy'd.
Yet car'd I not, what might presage
Or withering Wreath, or fleeting Youth:
Love I esteem'd more strong than Age,
And Time less permanent than Truth.
Why then I weep, forbear to know:
Fall uncontroll'd my Tears, and free:
O Damon, 'tis the only Woe,
I ever yet conceal'd from Thee.
The secret Wound with which I bleed
Shall lie wrapt up, ev'n in my Herse:
But on my Tomb-stone Thou shalt read
My Answer to Thy dubious Verse.
Scheme | ABABCDCDEXEXFGFGHXHXIJIJ KLKLMNMNXOXOPQPQXDBE |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1111111 1110101 1111111 01111101 11111111 11010001 1011011 01110101 1101101 0100111101 11110101 0111111 01111101 110100101 01001111 11110101 11010111 11111101 11110111 01110111 10111111 11011101 1111111 11111101 10111111 11111101 11110111 1111111 110111011 11010111 110111011 11110101 11111110 110011101 11011111 01110011 1111111 1011101 11010101 11010111 01011111 111111011 11111111 110111001 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,499 |
Words | 288 |
Sentences | 15 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 24, 20 |
Lines Amount | 44 |
Letters per line (avg) | 27 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 585 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 143 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:32 min read
- 91 Views
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"Cloe Jealous" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/27346/cloe-jealous>.
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