Analysis of Sonnet XXII: With Fools and Children

Michael Drayton 1563 (Hartshill) – 1631 (London)



With fools and children, good discretion bears;
Then, honest people, bear with Love and me,
Nor older yet, nor wiser made by years,
Amongst the rest of fools and children be;
Love, still a baby, plays with gauds and toys,
And, like a wanton, sports with every feather,
And idiots still are running after boys,
Then fools and children fitt'st to go together.
He still as young as when he first was born,
No wiser I than when as young as he;
You that behold us, laugh us not to scorn;
Give Nature thanks you are not such as we.
Yet fools and children sometimes tell in play
Some, wise in show, more fools indeed than they.


Scheme ABCBDEDEFBFBGG
Poetic Form
Metre 1101010101 1101011101 1101110111 0101110101 1101011101 010101110010 01001110101 110101111010 1111111111 1101111111 1101111111 1101111111 1101001101 1101110111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 636
Words 121
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 479
Words per stanza (avg) 117
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
118

Michael Drayton

Michael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era. more…

All Michael Drayton poems | Michael Drayton Books

0 fans

Discuss this Michael Drayton poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Sonnet XXII: With Fools and Children" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/28155/sonnet-xxii%3A-with-fools-and-children>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    1
    day
    23
    hours
    51
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    An esteemed poet appointed by a government or conferring institution such as the Royal Household is called?
    A Poet Laureate
    B Official
    C Pulitzer
    D British Writer