The Resurrection of Alcilia

By Algernon Charles Swinburne

Sonnet
    Gratefully inscribed to Dr. A.B. Grosart.     Sweet song-flower of the Mayspring of our song,     Be welcome to us, with loving thanks and praise     To his good hand who travelling on strange ways     Found thee forlorn and fragrant, lain along     Beneath dead leaves that many a winter's wrong     Had rained and heaped through nigh three centuries' maze     Above thy Maybloom, hiding from our gaze     The life that in thy leaves lay sweet and strong.     For thine have life, while many above thine head     Piled by the wind lie blossomless and dead.     So now disburdened of such load above     That lay as death's own dust upon thee shed     By days too deaf to hear thee like a dove     Murmuring, we hear thee, bird and flower of love.

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 is a beautiful mix of gratitude, discovery, and nature, celebrating a sense of resurrection and revival. It begins with a heartfelt dedication, and then unfolds to express sincere appreciation and awe for something that has been rediscovered, symbolized by a fragrant flower hidden under the weight of neglected leaves. The theme of resurrection is prevalent, with the flower enduring through the harshness of winter and centuries of obscurity to bloom again in May.

The tone of the poem is primarily reverent and thankful, reflected in the language that paints the scene vividly with its use of imagery. Literary devices such as personification and simile are utilized, with the flower given life and voice, compared to a dove stirring from beneath the dust of death. The poem also employs a structured rhyme scheme which gives it a rhythmic, song-like quality, emphasizing its theme of rejuvenation and hope. The imagery and metaphors persistently contrast life and death, decay and rebirth, subtly stressing the theme of resilience against adversity. The poem concludes on a hopeful note, with the subject, once silenced and buried, now recognized and heard as a "bird and flower of love."

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.