Analysis of The Hawk and the Babe

Aleister Crowley 1875 (Leamington Spa) – 1947 (Hastings)



[Dedicated to Raymond Radclyffe]

I am that hawk of gold
Proud in adamantine poise
On the pillars of torqoise,
See,beyond the starry fold,
Where a darkling orb is rolled.

There, beneath a grove of yew,
Plays a babe. Should I despise
Such a foam of gold, and eyes
Burning beryline, so blue
That the sun seems peeping through?

Did I swwop, were Heaven amazed?
With my beak I strike but once;
Out there leap a million suns.
Through the universe that blazed
Screams theit light, and death is dazed.

In my womb the babe may leap;
Seek him not within my eye!
Nor demand thou of me why
I should plunge from crystal steep
Like a plummet to the deep!

See yon solitary star!
What a world of blackness wraps
Round it! Unimagined gaps!
Let it be! Content thy car
With the voyage to things that are!

Nor, an thou perchance behold
How I plunge and batten on
Earth's exentrate carrion,
Deem torquoise match midden-mould
Or deny the Hawk of Gold!


Scheme X ABBAA CDDCC EXXEE FGGFF HIIHH AXXAA
Poetic Form
Metre 10001101 111111 1011 101011 10101 101111 1010111 1011101 1011101 10111 1011101 11101001 1111111 1110101 101011 1110111 0110111 1110111 1011111 1111101 1010101 111001 1011101 110101 1111011 10101111 1110101 1110101 11100 11111 1010111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 907
Words 174
Sentences 15
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 1, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Lines Amount 31
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 104
Words per stanza (avg) 24
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 28, 2023

52 sec read
121

Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley, was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, and mountaineer. more…

All Aleister Crowley poems | Aleister Crowley Books

0 fans

Discuss this Aleister Crowley poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Hawk and the Babe" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/395/the-hawk-and-the-babe>.

    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!

    More poems by

    Aleister Crowley

    »

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    19
    days
    10
    hours
    29
    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?

    »
    Who wrote the poem "Still I Rise"?
    A Dylan Thomas
    B Maya Angelou
    C Elizabeth Barrett Browning
    D Robert Burns