Analysis Of Virtue By George Herbert

This is a 4 stanza poem with 4 lines each. It has a rhyming end of ABAB CDCD. The dominating poetic device is imagery since the poets adopted a descriptive style to prove that most beautiful things on earth will not last forever.

The poem has the theme of mortality which shows that everything dies, the theme of nature which shows that every natural things hold a very high degree of beauty, and the theme of supremacy of death over many things that exist.

Stanza started with the break of each day which the poet said to be "sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright!" in line 1 but in line 4 George Herbert concluded it will die: "For thou must die."

The poet chose the rose plant in stanza 2. Rose plant is a very cherished plant with good looking flower having sweet smell; only to console the rash gazer of death.

"Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye,
Thy root is ever in its grave,
And thou must die."

Even though the season of spring comes with lots of beauty, it dies fast: "Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,
A box where sweets compacted lie,
My music shows ye have your closes,
And all must die."

The timbers will eventually turn to coal at the long run, which also amounts to its death; "Like season'd timber, never gives/ But though the whole world turn to coal/ Then chiefly lives." in the last stanza.)

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Samuel C. Enunwa aka samueldpoetry
(the Leo with wings flying)