Analysis of Take Back the Virgin Page

Thomas Moore 1779 (Dublin) – 1852 (Bromham)



Written on Returning a Blank Book

Take back the virgin page,
White and unwritten still;
Some hand, more calm and sage,
The leaf must fill.
Thoughts come, as pure as light
Pure as even you require;
But, oh! each word I write
Love turns to fire.

Yet let me keep the book:
Oft shall my heart renew,
When on its leaves I look,
Dear thoughts of you.
Like you, 'tis fair and bright;
Like you, too bright and fair
To let wild passion write
One wrong wish there.

Haply, when from those eyes
Far, far away I roam,
Should calmer thoughts arise
Towards you and home;
Fancy may trace some line,
Worthy those eyes to meet,
Thoughts that not burn, but shine,
Pure, calm, and sweet.

And as, o'er ocean far,
Seamen their records keep,
Led by some hidden star
Through the cold deep;
So may the words I write
Tell through what storms I stray --
You still the unseen light,
Guiding my way.


Scheme A BCBCDEDE AFAFDGDG HIHIJKJK LMLMDNDN
Poetic Form
Metre 101010011 110101 100101 111101 0111 111111 1110110 111111 11110 111101 111101 111111 1111 111101 111101 111101 1111 11111 110111 110101 01101 101111 101111 111111 1101 0110101 101011 111101 1011 110111 111111 110011 1011
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 877
Words 167
Sentences 8
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 1, 8, 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 33
Letters per line (avg) 20
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 133
Words per stanza (avg) 33
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 15, 2023

50 sec read
119

Thomas Moore

Thomas Moore was an Irish poet singer songwriter and entertainer now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and the The Last Rose of Summer more…

All Thomas Moore poems | Thomas Moore Books

2 fans

Discuss this Thomas Moore poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Take Back the Virgin Page" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/36905/take-back-the-virgin-page>.

    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!

    March 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    14
    hours
    38
    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?

    »
    From which London landmark did Wordsworth celebrate the view in his poem beginning: "Earth has not any thing to show more fair..."
    A Hampstead Heath
    B Westminster Bridge
    C The Tower of London
    D Waterloo Sunset