Analysis of To Solitude

Alice Cary 1820 (Mount Healthy) – 1871



I am weary of the working,
   Weary of the long day’s heat;
To thy comfortable bosom,
   Wilt thou take me, spirit sweet?

Weary of the long, blind struggle
   For a pathway bright and high,—
Weary of the dimly dying
  Hopes that never quite all die.

Weary searching a bad cipher
   For a good that must be meant;
Discontent with being weary,—
   Weary with my discontent.

I am weary of the trusting
   Where my trusts but torments prove;
Wilt thou keep faith with me? wilt thou
   Be my true and tender love?

I am weary drifting, driving
   Like a helmless bark at sea;
Kindly, comfortable spirit,
   Wilt thou give thyself to me?

Give thy birds to sing me sonnets?
   Give thy winds my cheeks to kiss?
And thy mossy rocks to stand for
   The memorials of our bliss?

I in reverence will hold thee,
   Never vexed with jealous ills,
Though thy wild and wimpling waters
   Wind about a thousand hills.


Scheme ABXB XCAC XDED AXXX AEXE XFXF EGXG
Poetic Form Quatrain  (86%)
Metre 11101010 1010111 11100010 1111101 10101110 101101 10101010 1110111 10100110 1011111 00111010 1011001 11101010 111111 11111111 1110101 11101010 101111 10100010 111111 11111110 1111111 0111111 001001101 10100111 1011101 1110110 1010101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 878
Words 161
Sentences 10
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 96
Words per stanza (avg) 23
Font size:
 

Submitted by halel on July 13, 2020

Modified on April 24, 2023

48 sec read
75

Alice Cary

Alice Cary was an American poet, and the older sister of fellow poet Phoebe Cary. more…

All Alice Cary poems | Alice Cary Books

1 fan

Discuss this Alice Cary poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "To Solitude" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/53951/to-solitude>.

    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.
    21
    days
    12
    hours
    3
    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?

    »
    "He was like a rainy Tuesday" is an example of ________.
    A simile
    B analogy
    C idiom
    D metaphor