Analysis of Heaven Above, Heaven Below

Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov 1866 (Moscow) – 1949 (Rome)



Night opens wide the burning Macrocosm,-
And heaven's hierarchies come into view
Lo, the spirit sings, and the elements dance
Interwoven with snaky locks of starlight.

And the Microcosm grows distinct in the deep night:
We hear the roar of elements spinning inside us,-
And behold our own hierarchical assemblage
From close stars to dim-eyed spots of light.

There is a milky way in the soul as in the heavens;
There is a multitude in both of these creations:
The same word is stamped in both of these books -

And twin scales measure the same weight.
There is a He in the flames of depths revealed;
There is an I in the deepest miracles.


Scheme XXXA AXXA BBX XXX
Poetic Form
Metre 11010101 010101011 10101001001 01011111 001001010011 1101110010011 001101100010 111111111 11010100110010 110100111010 0111101111 01110011 11010011101 11110010100
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 631
Words 119
Sentences 5
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 36
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 126
Words per stanza (avg) 29
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

36 sec read
78

Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov

Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov was a Russian poet and playwright associated with the Russian Symbolist movement. more…

All Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov poems | Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov Books

0 fans

Discuss this Vyacheslav Ivanovich Ivanov poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Heaven Above, Heaven Below" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/37870/heaven-above%2C-heaven-below>.

    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!

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    20
    days
    4
    hours
    18
    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?

    »
    Who wrote "Ode to the West Wind" that inspired a political and moral change?
    A Ted Hughes
    B Sylvia Plath
    C William Shakespeare
    D Percy Shelley