Analysis of The Lost One

Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton 1808 (Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Sheridan London) – 1877 (London)



COME to the grave--the silent grave! and dream
Of a light, happy voice--so full of joy,
That those who heard her laugh, would laugh again,
Echoing the mirth of such an innocent spirit;
And pause in their own converse, to look round,
Won by the witchery of that gleesome tone.
Come to the grave--the lone dark grave! and dream
Of eyes whose brilliancy was of the soul,
Eyes which, with one bright flash from their dark lids,
Seemed at a glance to read the thoughts of others;
Or, with a full entire tenderness,
The pure expression of all-perfect love,
(Of woman's love, which is for you alone,
While your's is for yourself)--gave in that look
The promise of a life of meek affection.
Come to the grave--the mouldering grave! and dream
Of a fair form that glided over earth
One of its happiest creatures:--to her cheek

The lightest word might bring the blushing blood
In pure carnation;--down her graceful neck,
The long rich curls of jet hung carelessly,
Untortured by the cunning hand of art:
And on her brow, bright purity and joy,
Twin sisters, sate,--as on a holy throne.
Come yet unto the grave--the still, damp grave!
And dream of a young heart that beat with life,
And all life's best affections; of a heart
Where sorrow never came, nor fear, nor sin--
Nor aught save innocence, and perfect love:
And, having dreamed of such a lovely being--
So gay, so bright, so pure, so fond, so meek--
Having thus conjured up a form of love
In thine own pausing and regretful mind;--
A vision will be present to thy soul,
A faint, but faithful portraiture, of one
Most dearly loved, and now for ever lost!


Scheme ABXXXCADXXXECXFAXG XXXHBCXXHXEXGEXDFX
Poetic Form
Metre 1101010101 1011011111 1111011101 1000111110010 0101110111 11011111 1101011101 11111101 1111111111 11011101110 1101010100 0101011011 1101111101 1111011011 01010111010 110101101 1011110101 11110010101 0101110101 0101010101 0111111100 11010111 0101110001 1101110101 1110010111 0110111111 0111010101 1101011111 1111000011 01011101010 1111111111 1011010111 0111000101 0101110111 01110111 1101011101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,606
Words 293
Sentences 9
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 18, 18
Lines Amount 36
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 615
Words per stanza (avg) 144
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:28 min read
63

Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton

Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton was an English feminist, social reformer, and author of the early and mid-nineteenth century. more…

All Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton poems | Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton Books

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