The poem’s combination of free verse with occasional rhyme favors adaptability and a smooth flow of natural language. It doesn’t have a constant rhyme structure, thus there are random and irregular rhymes all through. Because there is no set metrical structure, the lines are a combination of free verse with occasional rhyme.

A song of opposites Summary

1. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, such as in “Lethe’s weed and Hermes’ feather” and “Morning fair, and shipwreck’d hull.” The repetition of the initial sounds creates a musical quality and emphasizes certain words or phrases.
2. Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words or stressed syllables, as seen in “Muses bright and muses pale.” The repetition of similar vowel sounds creates a melodic effect and adds to the musicality of the poem.
3. Imagery: The poem utilizes vivid imagery to evoke sensory experiences and create mental pictures. Examples include “Meadows sweet where flames are under” and “Serpents in red roses hissing.” These images appeal to the reader’s senses and enhance the emotional impact of the poem.
4. Repetition: The repetition of certain words and phrases, such as “I do love you both together” and “Laugh and sigh, and laugh again,” adds emphasis and reinforces the themes of embracing opposites and contradictory emotions.
5. Symbolism: The poem employs symbolic language to represent abstract ideas. For example, the mention of “Lethe’s weed” represents forgetfulness or oblivion, while “Hermes’ feather” symbolizes communication or messages. These symbols add depth and layers of meaning to the poem.
6. Personification: The attribution of human qualities to non-human entities, such as the personification of Joy and Sorrow in the lines “Welcome joy, and welcome sorrow” and “But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings.” This device brings life and agency to abstract concepts, making them more relatable and engaging for the reader.

A song of opposites Summary