Break, break, break,
.5 (.6) .5 (.28) .6 (.3)
On thy cold grey stones, O sea!
.35 .3 .6 .5 .7 (.15) .3 .55 (.65)
And I would that my tongue could ut-ter
.2 .2 .4 .2 .25 .4 .18 .18 .3 (.35)
The thoughts that a-rise in me.
2. .5 .3 .2 .4 .3 .5 (.8)
O, well for the fish-er-man's boy
.6 .6 .2 .2 .22 .15 .45 .6 (.55)
That he shouts with his sis-ter at play!
.2 .18 .55 .25 .2 .35 .18 .2 .6 (.9)
O, well for the sail-or lad
.5 (.3) .61 .25 .3 .55 .2 .5 (.45)
That he sings in his boat on the bay.
.18 .18 .55 .25 .2 .45 .15 .15 .6
Logical pauses occur at the end of ll. 2, 4, 6, 8; and probably after stones in l. 2. After stones there would be also a rhythmic pause, but it is reinforced and practically replaced by the logical pause. Another rhythmic pause might occur after tongue in l. 3, but it is absorbed partly by the length of tongue and partly by the necessity of preserving the line rhythm through utter. It will be felt, however, if the lines are read thus:
And I would that my tongue
Could utter the thoughts
That arise
In me.
The metrical pause appears clearly after utter in l. 3. The pauses after boy (l. 5) and lad (l. 7) are both metrical and logical. The hold is illustrated by O in l. 5 and l. 7. [29] The rest appears distinctly in l. 1. From reading the whole poem we know that the movement is anapestic. The pattern rhythm for the first line would be
◡ ◡ _̷ ◡ ◡ _̷ ◡ ◡ _̷
Break break break
The number of syllables is three, whereas the other lines have from seven to nine syllables each. That is, before each break two light syllables, or their time equivalent, are lacking, their place being supplied by the rest-pause (which is also logical and emotional).[30]
The reader may analyze the comparative lengths of foot, line, pause, and rest in the following record:[31]
Kent-ish Sir Bing stood for the king,
.4 .32 .46 .8 (.2) .5 .18 .16 .8 (.6)
Bid-ding the crop-head-ed par-lia-ment swing;
.26 .2 .12 .45 .3 .2 .4 .1 .35 .72 (.6)
And, press-ing a troop un-ab-le to stoop,
.2 .38 .12 .1 .55 (.2) .18 .26 .12 .2 .58 (.5)
And see the rogues flour-ish and hon-est folk droop;
.22 .35 .15 .5 .6 .2 (.2) .26 .45 .18 .35 .48 (.75)
Marched then a-long fif-ty-score strong
.52 .22 .12 .8 (.14) .35 .25 .5 .7 (.7)
Great-heart-ed gent-le-men, sing-ing this song.
.35 .3 .2 .3 .12 .3 (.45) .44 .25 .28 .68 (.9)
God for King Charles! Pym and such carles
.6 .46 .5 .8 (.5) .38 .26 .3 .85 (.42)
To the Dev-il that prompts them their treas-on-ous parles!
.18 .18 .35 .25 .42 .5 .38 .2 .38 .1 .32 .75 (.55)
Cav-a-liers, up! Lips from the cup.
.35 .15 .5 (.4) .5 (.4) .6 .3 .12 .4