Poem Stucture of "A Long While I Sought"

Emund Spencer(1552-1591)

Long while I sought to what I might compare

Those powerful eyes, which lighten my dark spright

Yet find I nought on earth to which I dare

Resemble th'image of their goodly light

Not to the sun, for they do shine by night

Nor to the moon, for they are changed never

Nor to the stars, for they have purer sight

Nor to the fire, for they consume not ever

Nor to the lightning, for they still persever

Nor to the diamond, for they are more tender

Nor unto crystal, far nought may them sever

Nor unto glass, such baseness might offend her

Then to the Maker self they likest be

Whose light doth lighten all that here we see

In Spenser's "Long White I Sought..." we see the clear division of three sections in the sonnet: a statement of the problem, an exploitation of the problem, and a solution of the problem.

Lines 1-4: a statement that the poet can find nothing suitable with which to compare the"powerful eyes" of his beloved.

Lines 5-12: a series of images to which he attempts to compare the eyes, but fails.

Lines 13-1...