Serenade by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Analysis
"Serenade" is a poem from Longfellow's play titled "The Spanish Student". The poem takes place while Preciosa is asleep in her chamber before Victorian enters the scene by the balcony. The two are in love.
"Serenade" is written as four stanzas with seven lines each. The final three lines in each stanza are the same. Each stanza constains the rhyme scheme ABABBB. The first and third lines all end with the same word in each stanza.
Poem
Serenade Stars of the summer night! Far in yon azure deeps, Hide, hide your golden light! She sleeps! My lady sleeps! Sleeps! Moon of the summer night! Far down yon western steeps, Sink, sink in silver light! She sleeps! My lady sleeps! Sleeps! Wind of the summer night! Where yonder woodbine creeps, Fold, fold thy pinions light! She sleeps! My lady sleeps! Sleeps! Dreams of the summer night! Tell her, her lover keeps Watch! while in slumbers light She sleeps! My lady sleeps! Sleeps! From the play The Spanish Student in 1842.
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