Analysis of Longings

Constantine P. Cavafy 1863 (Alexandria) – 1933 (Alexandria)



Like the beautiful bodies of those who died before growing old,
sadly shut away in sumptuous mausoleum,
roses by the head, jasmine at the feet -
so appear the longings that have passed
without being satisfied, not one of the granted
a single night of pleasure, or one of its radiant mornings.


Scheme ABCDEF
Poetic Form
Metre 1010010111101101 10101010010 1010110101 101010111 011010111010 0101110111110010
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 295
Words 54
Sentences 2
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 6
Lines Amount 6
Letters per line (avg) 39
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 234
Words per stanza (avg) 52
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 22, 2023

16 sec read
71

Constantine P. Cavafy

Constantine P. Cavafy was a Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and worked as a journalist and civil servant. He published 154 poems; dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. His most important poetry was written after his fortieth birthday. more…

All Constantine P. Cavafy poems | Constantine P. Cavafy Books

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