This poem is a sonnet and follows the traditional sonnet patterns, it is written in 3 quatrains with an alternative rhyming pattern, followed by a rhyming couplet. It is 14 lines long. The writer uses a monosyllabic line “But came the tide and made my pains his prey” to emphasize the first quatrain, which is the set up for the poem. This, coupled with the personification of the tide, makes the extended metaphor for the tide very prominent.
One of the key themes in this poem is death, which is also a theme in Romeo and Juliet; this links this poem to the tragedy at the end. This poem also shares the theme of love as it is a conversation between two lovers, which links it to the main theme of Romeo and Juliet. This poem however does conflict with Romeo and Juliet as it treats death as something that is inevitable, however it will not end their legacy, but in Romeo and Juliet they do not take a natural death, which means their death was too soon.
Also the poem “If I were loved, as I desire to be” links to the ideas about love I Romeo and Juliet as the writer is saying love is all that he needs. This links well to the balcony scene where Juliet tells Romeo to give up his name and be with her. I can tell the poem is about this from the line “What…. evil between death and birth that I should fear, -- if I were loved by thee?” The use if juxtaposition between death and birth emphasises the point.
The writer also uses juxtaposition and violent imagery to get across his ideas about love, “All the inner, all the outer world of pain clear love would pierce and cleave,” this gives an image of love being strong and invincible, which links with Romeo and Juliet, where their live and death breaks their families hate.
The writer also views love as something pure and cleansing, this is shown in the line “Fresh-water springs come up through bitter brine.” This is a metaphor for love and the use of juxtaposition shows that the writer is very convinced about this point.
