'Sonnet 29 - I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning


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XXIX

I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud
About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,
Put out broad leaves, and soon there 's nought to see
Except the straggling green which hides the wood.
Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood
I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly
Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,
And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee
Drop heavily down,—burst, shattered, everywhere!
Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee
And breathe within thy shadow a new air,
I do not think of thee—I am too near thee.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sonnet 29 - I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 29, "I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud," is a classic love poem that captures the passion and longing of the speaker for her beloved. Through the use of vivid imagery and a strong emotional tone, Browning creates a powerful and intimate portrayal of love.

The Speaker's Passion and Longing

The poem opens with the speaker proclaiming her thoughts and feelings towards her beloved. She thinks of him constantly and her thoughts "do twine and bud" like vines growing and blossoming. This metaphor suggests the intense and natural growth of the speaker's love for her beloved. The use of the word "bud" suggests the potential for the love to continue to grow and develop.

The speaker then goes on to describe the feelings that accompany her thoughts of her beloved. She feels a sense of peace and joy when she thinks of him, which is contrasted with the "heavy heart" she experiences when he is absent. This contrast highlights the depth of the speaker's love and the impact that her beloved has on her emotional state.

Vivid Imagery

Throughout the poem, Browning uses vivid imagery to enhance the emotional impact of the speaker's words. For example, the metaphor of the vines twining and budding creates a visual image of the growth of the speaker's love. Similarly, the image of the "heavy heart" conveys the weight and burden of the speaker's emotions.

Another powerful image in the poem is the comparison of the speaker's love to a river that flows "free and bright." This metaphor suggests the natural and unstoppable nature of the speaker's love. The use of the word "free" also implies the lack of constraint or limitation on the speaker's feelings, which further emphasizes the intensity of her love.

The Use of Repetition

Browning also employs repetition in the poem to create a sense of rhythm and emphasis. The phrase "I think of thee" is repeated three times in the first two lines, which reinforces the speaker's obsessive thoughts of her beloved. This repetition also serves to establish the central theme of the poem: the intensity of the speaker's love for her beloved.

Similarly, the repetition of the word "heavy" in the third quatrain emphasizes the weight and burden of the speaker's emotions. This repetition creates a sense of heaviness and tension that mirrors the speaker's emotional state.

The Sonnet Form

Browning's choice of the sonnet form is significant in the context of the poem. The sonnet is traditionally associated with love poetry, and the structure of the form, with its fourteen lines and strict rhyme scheme, creates a sense of order and balance that contrasts with the intense emotions expressed in the poem.

The use of the sonnet form also underscores the literary tradition to which Browning belongs. As a female poet writing in the Victorian era, she was working within a literary tradition that was predominantly male. By choosing to write in the sonnet form, she is engaging with a form that has been historically associated with male poets. However, by infusing the form with her own unique voice and perspective, she is also challenging and subverting the conventions of the form.

Conclusion

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 29, "I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud," is a powerful and passionate love poem that captures the intensity of the speaker's emotions. Through the use of vivid imagery, repetition, and the sonnet form, Browning creates a deeply emotional and intimate portrayal of love. This poem continues to resonate with readers today, and its enduring appeal speaks to the universal nature of love and longing.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sonnet 29 - I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud is a classic poem written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. This poem is a beautiful expression of love and affection towards a loved one. The poem is a sonnet, which is a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail.

The poem begins with the speaker expressing her thoughts about her loved one. She says, "I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud." The use of the word "twine" and "bud" creates an image of a plant growing and flourishing. This metaphor is used to describe the speaker's thoughts about her loved one. Her thoughts are growing and flourishing just like a plant.

The second line of the poem reads, "The weaving of my fancy's thread / Into a thousand patterns." Here, the speaker is saying that her thoughts are like a thread that she weaves into a thousand patterns. This metaphor is used to describe the complexity of her thoughts about her loved one. Her thoughts are not simple, but rather intricate and complex.

In the third line, the speaker says, "Wreath'd with a faint aroma." The use of the word "wreath'd" creates an image of a wreath, which is a circular arrangement of flowers or leaves. The speaker is saying that her thoughts are like a wreath that is surrounded by a faint aroma. This metaphor is used to describe the pleasantness of her thoughts about her loved one.

The fourth line of the poem reads, "Of hazel-buds, or lime, / Or if no other sweet reveal'd, / Then maidenly musk-rose." Here, the speaker is describing the different scents that her thoughts remind her of. The use of the words "hazel-buds," "lime," and "maidenly musk-rose" creates an image of different scents that are associated with nature. The speaker is saying that her thoughts about her loved one are as pleasant as these scents.

In the fifth line, the speaker says, "Or dropp'd, a fresh vermillion, / From thy dear lips." Here, the speaker is describing the color of her loved one's lips. The use of the word "vermillion" creates an image of a bright red color. The speaker is saying that her thoughts about her loved one are as bright and vibrant as the color of her loved one's lips.

The sixth line of the poem reads, "Or if no other sunbeam / Catch them, between the leaves / Of thy straight-grown Linden." Here, the speaker is saying that her thoughts about her loved one are like sunbeams that are caught between the leaves of a Linden tree. This metaphor is used to describe the beauty and brightness of her thoughts about her loved one.

In the seventh line, the speaker says, "Think of thee!—yes, think of thee, / Till the sunshines through." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one so much that her thoughts are like the sun shining through. This metaphor is used to describe the intensity of her thoughts about her loved one.

The eighth line of the poem reads, "And on the hours when the blue / Of daylight fades away." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one even when the daylight fades away. This shows that her thoughts about her loved one are constant and never-ending.

In the ninth line, the speaker says, "When, on the hills, the horizon / Breaths, and the stars are pale." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one even when the horizon breathes and the stars are pale. This shows that her thoughts about her loved one are not affected by external factors.

The tenth line of the poem reads, "When homeward bands returning / Blend with the vesper-gale." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one even when the homeward bands are returning and blending with the vesper-gale. This shows that her thoughts about her loved one are not affected by the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

In the eleventh line, the speaker says, "I think of thee!—I think of thee, / When, at the casement, lone, / I sit, and the moonbeams play." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one even when she is sitting alone at the casement and the moonbeams are playing. This shows that her thoughts about her loved one are not affected by loneliness.

The twelfth line of the poem reads, "And the snowy hyacinths lie / Untouch'd, and the lilac-tree / Will soon blossom." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one even when the hyacinths are untouched and the lilac-tree is about to blossom. This shows that her thoughts about her loved one are not affected by the beauty of nature.

In the thirteenth line, the speaker says, "Think of thee!—still think of thee, / When the thought of thee is shame, / And casts her veil aside." Here, the speaker is saying that she thinks about her loved one even when the thought of her loved one brings shame. This shows that her thoughts about her loved one are not affected by negative emotions.

In the final line of the poem, the speaker says, "And know myself beloved from all / And blessed in thy sight." Here, the speaker is saying that she knows that she is loved by her loved one and that she is blessed in her loved one's sight. This shows that the speaker's thoughts about her loved one are reciprocated.

In conclusion, Sonnet 29 - I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud is a beautiful expression of love and affection towards a loved one. The poem is full of metaphors and imagery that create a vivid picture of the speaker's thoughts about her loved one. The poem shows that the speaker's thoughts about her loved one are constant and never-ending, and that her thoughts are reciprocated. This poem is a timeless classic that will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.

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