Leonardo's 'Monna Lisa'
MAKE thyself known, Sibyl, or let despair
Of knowing thee be absolute; I wait
Hour-long and waste a soul. What word of fate
Hides 'twixt the lips which smile and still forbear?
Secret perfection! Mystery too fair!
Tangle the sense no more lest I should hate
Thy delicate tyranny, the inviolate
Poise of thy folded hands, thy fallen hair.
Nay, nay,--I wrong thee with rough words; still be
Serene, victorious, inaccessible;
Still smile but speak not; lightest irony
Lurk ever 'neath thine eyelids' shadow; still
O'ertop our knowledge; Sphinx of Italy
Allure us and reject us at thy will!
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 30 sec read
- 134 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABBAABCADEDFDE |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 594 |
Words | 102 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
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"Leonardo's 'Monna Lisa'" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/9526/leonardo's-'monna-lisa'>.
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