Analysis of The Weakest Thing

Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806 (Kelloe) – 1861 (Florence)



Which is the weakest thing of all
Mine heart can ponder?
The sun, a little cloud can pall
With darkness yonder?
The cloud, a little wind can move
Where'er it listeth?
The wind, a little leaf above,
Though sere, resisteth?

What time that yellow leaf was green,
My days were gladder;
But now, whatever Spring may mean,
I must grow sadder.
Ah me! a leaf with sighs can wring
My lips asunder -
Then is mine heart the weakest thing
Itself can ponder.

Yet, Heart, when sun and cloud are pined
And drop together,
And at a blast, which is not wind,
The forests wither,
Thou, from the darkening deathly curse
To glory breakest, -
The Strongest of the universe
Guarding the weakest!


Scheme XAXAXBXB CACADADA EAEAFEFX
Poetic Form
Metre 11010111 11110 01010111 11010 01010111 1011 01010101 111 11110111 1101 1110111 11110 11011111 11010 11110101 01110 11110111 01010 01011111 01010 110100101 1101 0101010 10010
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 659
Words 125
Sentences 9
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 22
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 174
Words per stanza (avg) 41
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 29, 2023

37 sec read
83

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era. more…

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