Restraint

Author: Madison Julius Cawein

    Dear heart and love! what happiness to sit
    And watch the firelight's varying shade and shine
    On thy young face; and through those eyes of thine--
    As through glad windows--mark fair fancies flit
    In sumptuous chambers of thy soul's chaste wit
    Like graceful women: then to take in mine
    Thy hand, whose pressure brims my heart's divine
    Hushed rapture as with music exquisite!
    When I remember how thy look and touch
    Sway, like the moon, my blood with ecstasy,
    I dare not think to what fierce heaven might lead
    Thy soft embrace; or in thy kiss how much
    Sweet hell,--beyond all help of me,--might be,
    Where I were lost, where I were lost indeed!
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Type of Poem: Sonnet

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

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Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a passionate exploration of romantic love, employing vivid and beautiful imagery to convey the intoxicating effect of the beloved. The tone is one of deep affection and intense desire, underscored by a sense of awe at the power this love holds over the speaker.

The poem is structured as a single, complex sentence, reflecting the speaker's continuous, flowing thoughts. The use of light and dark imagery in the first half of the poem, such as "firelight's varying shade and shine" and "glad windows", suggests the warmth and brightness of love. The speaker also employs personification, likening his lover's thoughts to "graceful women" inhabiting the "sumptuous chambers" of her mind, a metaphor that emphasizes her complexity and allure.

In the latter half of the poem, the speaker explores the potentially overwhelming power of physical love, using celestial imagery ("Sway, like the moon, my blood with ecstasy") and religious language ("fierce heaven", "Sweet hell") to convey the depth and intensity of his feelings. Juxtaposing heaven and hell, the speaker suggests that love can be both exalting and agonizing, a force of both salvation and damnation. The repetition of "where I were lost" underscores the speaker's sense of being consumed by this love, illustrating its all-encompassing, transformative power.

Overall, this poem is a deeply emotional exploration of romantic love, capturing its beauty, complexity, and potential peril with striking imagery and powerful language.

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.