Young Love XI - Comfort Of Dante

By Richard Le Gallienne

Sonnet
    Down where the unconquered river still flows on,     One strong free thing within a prison's heart,     I drew me with my sacred grief apart,     That it might look that spacious joy upon:     And as I mused, lo! Dante walked with me,     And his face spake of the high peace of pain     Till all my grief glowed in me throbbingly     As in some lily's heart might glow the rain.     So like a star I listened, till mine eye     Caught that lone land across the water-way     Wherein my lady breathed, - now breathing is -     'O Dante,' then I said, 'she more than I     Should know thy comfort, go to her, I pray.'     'Nay!' answered he, 'for she hath Beatrice.'

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a melancholic reflection on solitude, grief, and longing, with the speaker seeking solace in the company of Dante, the celebrated Italian poet. The river, described as 'unconquered' and 'free', serves as a metaphor for the speaker’s unyielding sorrow, which exists amidst the constraining prison of his heart. The speaker then envisions a conversation with Dante, whose own experience with pain brings a sense of understanding and empathy.

The poem utilizes a structured rhyme scheme, lending a sense of order to the speaker's emotional turmoil. The presence of Dante, a figure renowned for his exploration of themes such as love and loss, offers a sense of shared sorrow and a bridge to the speaker's own lament for a distant beloved. The final lines reveal a deep longing for the beloved to understand this shared sorrow, only for Dante to remark that his own beloved, Beatrice, is beyond these earthly concerns. This draws attention to the unbridgeable distance between the living and the dead, further intensifying the speaker's sense of isolation and longing. The poem is rich in its emotional depth and elegiac tone, using historical and literary allusions to articulate the universal human experience of longing and loss.

Understanding the Sonnet

The sonnet is one of the most enduring and celebrated forms of poetry, known for its strict structure and profound themes. With a history spanning centuries, sonnets have been used to explore love, beauty, politics, and mortality, all within the confines of just 14 lines.

Sonnets are characterized by their precise form and rhyme scheme, which vary depending on the type of sonnet. Here’s a closer look:

  • Shakespearean (English) Sonnet: Composed of three quatrains followed by a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This form often builds a complex argument or narrative, culminating in a powerful closing statement.
  • Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet: Divided into an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), with a typical rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave, followed by various patterns in the sestet such as CDECDE or CDCDCD. The octave usually presents a problem, with the sestet providing a resolution.
  • Meter: Sonnets are traditionally written in iambic pentameter, which gives the poem a rhythmic and melodic quality that enhances its emotional impact.

The sonnet’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to condense complex emotions and ideas into a small but potent package, making it a favorite form for poets seeking to explore profound themes with precision and elegance.