Sonnet XLVII
Since my griev'd mind some energy regains,Industrious habits can, at times, repressThe weight of filial woe, the deep distressOf life-long separation; yet its pains,Oft do they throb along these fever'd veins.--My rest has lost its balm, the fond caressWont the dear aged forehead to impressAt midnight, as he slept;--nor now obtainsMy uprising the blest news, that cou'd impartJoy to the morning, when its dawn had broughtSome health to that weak Frame, o'er which my heartWith fearful fondness yearn'd, and anxious thought.--Time, and the HOPE that robs the mortal DartOf its fell sting, shall cheer me--as they ought.
Words in this poem
- industrious a.
- Given to industry; characterized by diligence; constantly, regularly, or habitually occupied; busy; assiduous; not slothful or idle; -- commonly implying devotion to lawful and useful labor. [L. industrius, industriosus: cf. F. industrieux. See Industry.]
- filial a.
- Of or pertaining to a son or daughter; becoming to a child in relation to his parents; as, filial obedience. [L. filialis, fr. filius son, filia daughter; akin to e. female, feminine. Cf. Fitz.]
- throb v. i.
- To beat, or pulsate, with more than usual force or rapidity; to beat in consequence of agitation; to palpitate; -- said of the heart, pulse, etc. [OE. ; of uncertain origin; cf. Russ. trepete a trembling, and E. trepidation.]
- caress n.
- An act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness. [F. caresse, It. carezza, LL. caritia dearness, fr. L. carus dear. See Charity.]
- uprising n.
- Act of rising; also, a steep place; an ascent.
- fondness n.
- The quality or state of being fond; foolishness.
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- ought p. p.
- Was or were under obligation to pay; owed. [Orig. the preterit of the verb to owe. OE. oughte, aughte, ahte, AS. ahte. sq. root110. See Owe.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Sonnet XLVII is in the public domain. This text is taken from Original sonnets on various subjects; and odes paraphrased from Horace, Project Gutenberg ebook #27663; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Anna Seward, Sonnet XLVII, in Original Sonnets on Various Subjects (1799), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #27663, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/seward-sonnets/sonnet-xlvii.html, id L20501.
Form and metre
Sonnet XLVII is 14 lines in a single stanza. It rhymes ABABCDCDEFEFGG, the pattern of the English sonnet. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 86%).
See other English sonnets, other poems in iambic pentameter.
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 ABABCDCDEFEFGG regainsA · repressB · distressA · painsB · veinsC · caressD · impressC · obtainsD · impartE · broughtF · heartE · thoughtF · dartG · oughtG
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 iambic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Since my griev'd mind some energy regains, | 10 | ·····/˘˘˘/ |
| Industrious habits can, at times, repress | 10 | ˘/˘/˘···˘/ |
| The weight of filial woe, the deep distress | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| Of life-long separation; yet its pains, | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| Oft do they throb along these fever'd veins.-- | 10 | ····˘/·/˘· |
| My rest has lost its balm, the fond caress | 10 | ········˘/ |
| Wont the dear aged forehead to impress | 9 | ····/˘·˘/ |
| At midnight, as he slept;--nor now obtains | 10 | ·/······˘/ |
| My uprising the blest news, that cou'd impart | 11 | ·˘/˘·····˘/ |
| Joy to the morning, when its dawn had brought | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Some health to that weak Frame, o'er which my heart | 10 | ·········· |
| With fearful fondness yearn'd, and anxious thought.-- | 10 | ·/˘/˘··/˘· |
| Time, and the HOPE that robs the mortal Dart | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Of its fell sting, shall cheer me--as they ought. | 10 | ·········· |
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.