The Bridge of Sighs
One more Unfortunate,Weary of breath,Rashly importunate,Gone to her death!
Take her up tenderly,Lift her with care;Fashion'd so slenderly,Young, and so fair!
Look at her garmentsClinging like cerements;Whilst the wave constantlyDrips from her clothing;Take her up instantly,Loving, not loathing.--
Touch her not scornfully;Think of her mournfully,Gently and humanly;Not of the stains of her,All that remains of herNow is pure womanly.
Make no deep scrutinyInto her mutinyBash and undutiful:Past all dishonor,Death has left on herOnly the beautiful.
Still, for all slips of hers,One of Eve's family--Wipe those poor lips of hersOozing so clammily.
Loop up her tressesEscaped from the comb,Her fair auburn tresses;Whilst wonderment guessesWhere was her home?
Who was her father?Who was her mother?Had she a sister?Had she a brother?Or was there a dearer oneStill, and a nearer oneYet, than all other?
Alas! for the rarityOf Christian charityUnder the sun!Oh! it was pitiful!Near a whole city full,Home she had none.
Sisterly, brotherly,Fatherly, motherlyFeelings had changed:Love, by harsh evidence,Thrown from its eminence;Even God's providenceSeeming estranged.
Where the lamps quiverSo far in the river,With many a lightFrom window and casement,From garret to basement,She stood, with amazement,Houseless by night.
The bleak wind of MarchMade her tremble and shiver;But not the dark arch,Or the black flowing river:Mad from life's history,Glad to death's mystery,Swit to be hurl'd--Any where, any whereOut of the world!
In she plunged boldly,No matter how coldlyThe rough river ran,--Over the brink of it,Picture it--think of it,Dissolute Man!Lave in it, drink of it,Then, if you can!
Take her up tenderly,Lift her with care;Fashion'd so slenderly,Young, and so fair!
Ere her limbs frigidlyStiffen too rigidly,Decently,--kindly,--Smooth, and compose them;And her eyes, close them,Staring so blindly!
Dreadfully staringThro' muddy impurity,As when with the daringLast look of despairingFix'd on futurity.
Perishing gloomily,Spurr'd by contumely,Cold inhumanity,Burning insanity,Into her rest.--Cross her hands humbly,As if praying dumbly,Over her breast!
Owning her weakness,Her evil behavior,And leaving, with meekness,Her sins to her Saviour!
Words in this poem 29
- tenderly adv.
- In a tender manner; with tenderness; mildly; gently; softly; in a manner not to injure or give pain; with pity or affection; kindly.
- humanly adv.
- In a human manner; after the manner of men; according to the knowledge or wisdom of men; as, the present prospects, humanly speaking, promise a happy issue. Sir W. Raleigh.
- bash v. t.
- To abash; to disconcert or be disconcerted or put out of countenance. [OE. baschen, baissen. See Abash.]
- clammily adv.
- In a clammy manner.
- auburn a.
- Flaxen-colored. Florio. [OE. auburne blonde, OF. alborne, auborne, fr. LL. alburnus whitish, fr. L. albus white. Cf. Alburn.]
- wonderment n.
- Surprise; astonishment; a wonderful appearance; a wonder.
- rarity n.
- The quality or state of being rare; rareness; thinness; as, the rarity (contrasted with the density) of gases. [L. raritas: cf. F. rareté. See Rare.]
- fatherly a.
- Like a father in affection and care; paternal; tender; protecting; careful.
- casement n.
- A window sash opening on hinges affixed to the upright side of the frame into which it is fitted. (Poetically) A window. [Shortened fr. encasement. See Incase 1st Case, and cf. Incasement.]
- garret n.
- A turret; a watchtower. [OE. garite, garette, watchtower, place of lookout, OF. garite, also meaning, a place of refuge, F. guérite a place of refuge, donjon, sentinel box, fr. OF. gari]
- amazement n.
- The condition of being amazed; bewilderment ; overwhelming wonder, as from surprise, sudden fear, horror, or admiration.
- houseless a.
- Destitute of the shelter of a house; shelterless; homeless; as, a houseless wanderer.
- boldly adv.
- In a bold manner. [AS. bealdlice.]
- coldly adv.
- In a cold manner; without warmth, animation, or feeling; with indifference; calmly.
- brink n.
- The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge, as of a river or pit; a verge; a border; as, the brink of a chasm. Also Fig. [Dan. brink edge, verge; akin to Sw. brink declivity, hill, Icel. brekka; cf. LG. brink a grassy hill, W. bryn hill, bryncyn hillock.]
- dissolute a.
- With nerves unstrung; weak. [L. dissolutus, p. p. of dissolvere: cf. F. dissolu. See Dissolve.]
- lave v. t.
- To lade, dip, or pour out. [OE. laven. See Lavish.]
- frigidly adv.
- In a frigid manner; coldly; dully; without affection.
- rigidly v.
- In a rigid manner; stiffly.
- blindly adv.
- Without sight, discernment, or understanding; without thought, investigation, knowledge, or purpose of one's own.
- dreadfully adv.
- In a dreadful manner; terribly.
- despairing a.
- Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless.
- futurity n.
- State of being that is yet to come; future state.
- contumely n.
- Rudeness compounded of haughtiness and contempt; scornful insolence; despiteful treatment; disdain; contemptuousness in act or speech; disgrace. [L. contumelia, prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. OF. contumelie. Cf. Contumacy.]
- inhumanity n.
- The quality or state of being inhuman; cruelty; barbarity. [L. inhumanitas: cf. F. inhumanité.]
- humbly adv.
- With humility; lowly.
- dumbly adv.
- In silence; mutely.
- meekness n.
- The quality or state of being meek.
- saviour n.
- One who saves, preserves, or delivers from destruction or danger. [OE. saveour, OF. salveor, F. sauveur, fr. L. salvator to save. See Save, v.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Bridge of Sighs is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood, Project Gutenberg ebook #15652; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Thomas Hood, The Bridge of Sighs, in The Song of the Shirt, and Other Poems (1826–1845), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #15652, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/hood-poetical-works/the-bridge-of-sighs.html, id L20118.
Form and metre
The Bridge of Sighs is 106 lines in 18 stanzas. The commonest rhyme scheme is ABAB, in 5 of the 18 stanzas; the rest vary or could not be confirmed. The metre is dactylic dimeter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 87%).
See other poems in dactylic dimeter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 ABAB unfortunateA · breathB · importunateA · deathB
- 2 ABAB tenderlyA · careB · slenderlyA · fairB
- 3 AA---- garmentsA · cerementsA · constantly · clothing · instantly · loathing
- 4 AA-BB- scornfullyA · mournfullyA · humanly · herB · herB · womanly
- 5 AAB--B scrutinyA · mutinyA · undutifulB · dishonor · her · beautifulB
- 6 ABAB hersA · familyB · hersA · clammilyB
- 7 ABAAB tressesA · combB · tressesA · guessesA · homeB
- 8 -A-ABBA father · motherA · sister · brotherA · oneB · oneB · otherA
- 9 AABCCB rarityA · charityA · sunB · pitifulC · fullC · noneB
- 10 AAB---B brotherlyA · motherlyA · changedB · evidence · eminence · providence · estrangedB
- 11 AABCCCB quiverA · riverA · lightB · casementC · basementC · amazementC · nightB
- 12 ABABCCD-D marchA · shiverB · archA · riverB · historyC · mysteryC · hurl'dD · where · worldD
- 13 AABCCBCB boldlyA · coldlyA · ranB · itC · itC · manB · itC · canB
- 14 ABAB tenderlyA · careB · slenderlyA · fairB
- 15 AABCCB frigidlyA · rigidlyA · kindlyB · themC · themC · blindlyB
- 16 A-AA- staringA · impurity · daringA · despairingA · futurity
- 17 --AABCCB gloomily · contumely · inhumanityA · insanityA · restB · humblyC · dumblyC · breastB
- 18 ABAB weaknessA · behaviorB · meeknessA · saviourB
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against dactylic dimeter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| One more Unfortunate, | 6 | ··˘/˘˘ |
| Weary of breath, | 4 | /˘·· |
| Rashly importunate, | 6 | /˘˘/˘˘ |
| Gone to her death! | 4 | ···· |
| Take her up tenderly, | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Lift her with care; | 4 | ···· |
| Fashion'd so slenderly, | 6 | /˘···· |
| Young, and so fair! | 4 | ···· |
| Look at her garments | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Clinging like cerements; | 6 | /˘···· |
| Whilst the wave constantly | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Drips from her clothing; | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Take her up instantly, | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Loving, not loathing.-- | 5 | /˘·/˘ |
| Touch her not scornfully; | 6 | ······ |
| Think of her mournfully, | 6 | ······ |
| Gently and humanly; | 6 | /˘·/˘˘ |
| Not of the stains of her, | 6 | ······ |
| All that remains of her | 6 | ··˘/·· |
| Now is pure womanly. | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Make no deep scrutiny | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Into her mutiny | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Bash and undutiful: | 6 | ······ |
| Past all dishonor, | 5 | ··˘/˘ |
| Death has left on her | 5 | ····· |
| Only the beautiful. | 6 | /˘·/˘˘ |
| Still, for all slips of hers, | 6 | ······ |
| One of Eve's family-- | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Wipe those poor lips of hers | 6 | ······ |
| Oozing so clammily. | 6 | /˘·/˘˘ |
| Loop up her tresses | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Escaped from the comb, | 6 | ˘/˘··· |
| Her fair auburn tresses; | 6 | ··/˘/˘ |
| Whilst wonderment guesses | 6 | ·/˘˘/˘ |
| Where was her home? | 4 | ···· |
| Who was her father? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Who was her mother? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Had she a sister? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Had she a brother? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Or was there a dearer one | 7 | ····/˘· |
| Still, and a nearer one | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Yet, than all other? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Alas! for the rarity | 7 | ˘/··/˘˘ |
| Of Christian charity | 6 | ·/˘/˘˘ |
| Under the sun! | 4 | ···· |
| Oh! it was pitiful! | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Near a whole city full, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Home she had none. | 4 | ···· |
| Sisterly, brotherly, | 6 | /˘˘/˘˘ |
| Fatherly, motherly | 6 | /˘˘/˘˘ |
| Feelings had changed: | 5 | /˘··˘ |
| Love, by harsh evidence, | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Thrown from its eminence; | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Even God's providence | 6 | /˘·/˘˘ |
| Seeming estranged. | 5 | /˘˘/˘ |
| Where the lamps quiver | 5 | ···/˘ |
| So far in the river, | 6 | ····/˘ |
| With many a light | 5 | ·/˘·· |
| From window and casement, | 6 | ·/˘·/˘ |
| From garret to basement, | 6 | ·/˘·/˘ |
| She stood, with amazement, | 6 | ···˘/˘ |
| Houseless by night. | 4 | /˘·· |
| The bleak wind of March | 5 | ····· |
| Made her tremble and shiver; | 7 | ··/˘·/˘ |
| But not the dark arch, | 5 | ····· |
| Or the black flowing river: | 7 | ···/˘/˘ |
| Mad from life's history, | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Glad to death's mystery, | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Swit to be hurl'd-- | 4 | ···· |
| Any where, any where | 6 | /˘·/˘· |
| Out of the world! | 4 | ···· |
| In she plunged boldly, | 6 | ···˘/˘ |
| No matter how coldly | 6 | ·/˘·/˘ |
| The rough river ran,-- | 5 | ··/˘· |
| Over the brink of it, | 6 | ······ |
| Picture it--think of it, | 6 | /˘···· |
| Dissolute Man! | 4 | /˘˘· |
| Lave in it, drink of it, | 6 | ······ |
| Then, if you can! | 4 | ···· |
| Take her up tenderly, | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Lift her with care; | 4 | ···· |
| Fashion'd so slenderly, | 6 | /˘···· |
| Young, and so fair! | 4 | ···· |
| Ere her limbs frigidly | 6 | ···/˘˘ |
| Stiffen too rigidly, | 6 | /˘·/˘˘ |
| Decently,--kindly,-- | 5 | /˘˘/˘ |
| Smooth, and compose them; | 5 | ··˘/· |
| And her eyes, close them, | 5 | ····· |
| Staring so blindly! | 5 | /˘·/˘ |
| Dreadfully staring | 5 | /˘˘/˘ |
| Thro' muddy impurity, | 7 | ·/˘˘/˘˘ |
| As when with the daring | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Last look of despairing | 6 | ···˘/˘ |
| Fix'd on futurity. | 6 | ··˘/˘˘ |
| Perishing gloomily, | 6 | /˘˘/˘˘ |
| Spurr'd by contumely, | 6 | ··/˘˘˘ |
| Cold inhumanity, | 6 | ·˘˘/˘˘ |
| Burning insanity, | 6 | /˘˘/˘˘ |
| Into her rest.-- | 4 | ···· |
| Cross her hands humbly, | 5 | ···/˘ |
| As if praying dumbly, | 6 | ··/˘/˘ |
| Over her breast! | 4 | ···· |
| Owning her weakness, | 5 | /˘·/˘ |
| Her evil behavior, | 6 | ·/˘˘/˘ |
| And leaving, with meekness, | 6 | ·/˘·/˘ |
| Her sins to her Saviour! | 6 | ····/˘ |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.