Analysis of Ode, Composed On A May Morning
William Wordsworth 1770 (Wordsworth House) – 1850 (Cumberland)
While from the purpling east departs
The star that led the dawn,
Blithe Flora from her couch upstarts,
For May is on the lawn.
A quickening hope, a freshening glee,
Foreran the expected Power,
Whose first-drawn breath, from bush and tree,
Shakes off that pearly shower.
All Nature welcomes Her whose sway
Tempers the year's extremes;
Who scattereth lustres o'er noon-day,
Like morning's dewy gleams;
While mellow warble, sprightly trill,
The tremulous heart excite;
And hums the balmy air to still
The balance of delight.
Time was, blest Power! when youth and maids
At peep of dawn would rise,
And wander forth, in forest glades
Thy birth to solemnize.
Though mute the song---to grace the rite
Untouched the hawthorn bough,
Thy Spirit triumphs o'er the slight;
Man changes, but not Thou!
Thy feathered Lieges bill and wings
In love's disport employ;
Warmed by thy influence, creeping things
Awake to silent joy:
Queen art thou still for each gay plant
Where the slim wild deer roves;
And served in depths where fishes haunt
Their own mysterious groves.
Cloud-piercing peak, and trackless heath,
Instinctive homage pay;
Nor wants the dim-lit cave a wreath
To honor thee, sweet May!
Where cities fanned by thy brisk airs
Behold a smokeless sky,
Their puniest flower-pot-nursling dares
To open a bright eye.
And if, on this thy natal morn,
The pole, from which thy name
Hath not departed, stands forlorn
Of song and dance and game;
Still from the village-green a vow
Aspires to thee addrest,
Wherever peace is on the brow,
Or love within the breast.
Yes! where Love nestles thou canst teach
The soul to love the more;
Hearts also shall thy lessons reach
That never loved before.
Stript is the haughty one of pride,
The bashful freed from fear,
While rising, like the ocean-tide,
In flow the joyous year.
Hush, feeble lyre! weak words refuse
The service to prolong!
To yon exulting thrush the Muse
Entrusts the imperfect song;
His voice shall chant, in accents clear,
Throughout the live-long day,
Till the first silver star appear,
The sovereignty of May.
Scheme | ABABCDCD EFEFGHGH IXIAHJHJ KLKLXAXX MEMENONO PQPQJHJX RSRSTUTU VWVWUEUE |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1101101 011101 11010101 111101 0100101001 1001010 11111101 1111010 11010011 100101 1111011 110101 11010101 0100101 01010111 010101 111101101 111111 01010101 1111 11011101 01011 110101001 110111 1101101 01101 111100101 011101 11111111 101111 01011101 1101001 1101011 010101 11011101 110111 11011111 010101 1110111 110011 01111101 011111 11010101 110101 11010101 010111 01011101 110101 11110111 011101 11011101 110101 11010111 010111 11010101 010101 11011101 010101 11010101 100101 11110101 010111 10110101 010011 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 2,158 |
Words | 349 |
Sentences | 17 |
Stanzas | 8 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 64 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 203 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 43 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 03, 2023
- 1:46 min read
- 1,245 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Ode, Composed On A May Morning" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/42295/ode%2C-composed-on-a-may-morning>.
Discuss this William Wordsworth poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In