Victory

By Rupert Brooke

Sonnet
    All night the ways of Heaven were desolate,     Long roads across a gleaming empty sky.     Outcast and doomed and driven, you and I,     Alone, serene beyond all love or hate,     Terror or triumph, were content to wait,     We, silent and all-knowing. Suddenly     Swept through the heaven low-crouching from on high,     One horseman, downward to the earth's low gate.     Oh, perfect from the ultimate height of living,     Lightly we turned, through wet woods blossom-hung,     Into the open. Down the supernal roads,     With plumes a-tossing, purple flags far flung,     Rank upon rank, unbridled, unforgiving,     Thundered the black battalions of the Gods.

Share & Analyze This Poem

Spread the beauty of poetry or dive deeper into analysis

Analyze This Poem

Discover the literary devices, structure, and deeper meaning

Create Image

Transform this poem into a beautiful shareable image

Copy to Clipboard

Save this poem for personal use or sharing offline

Share the Love of Poetry
More Poems
More Sonnets
Daily Poem

Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem conveys a sense of cosmic struggle, framed by an otherworldly, celestial setting. The speaker and their unnamed companion are presented as transcendent entities, "serene beyond all love or hate", waiting within an empty, desolate heaven. The poem's tone is one of quietude and anticipation, disturbed by the sudden arrival of a horseman. This figure, coupled with the "black battalions of the Gods", suggests a looming conflict or an impending cataclysm, adding an element of suspense and tension.

The structure of the poem is concise and tight, making use of vivid imagery and impactful metaphors. The "long roads across a gleaming empty sky" and "wet woods blossom-hung" create a surreal, dreamlike landscape that contrasts with the harsh imagery of "unbridled, unforgiving" gods. The poet's use of alliteration in phrases like "black battalions" and "plumes a-tossing, purple flags" adds a rhythmic quality to the poem, enhancing its dramatic impact. The unexpected shift from the tranquility of the beginning to the tumultuous conclusion leaves the reader contemplating the nature of the cosmic conflict and the role of the speaker and their companion within it.

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.