Construing Poetic Diction and Syntax

Say, Father Thames! ––for thou hast seenFull many a sprightly race,

Disporting on thy margent green,The paths of pleasure trace;

Who foremost now delight to cleaveWith pliant arm thy glassy wave?

The captive linnet which enthrall?What idle progeny succeed To chase the rolling circle's speed,

Or urge the flying ball?

Say, Father Thames, for thou hast seen full many a sprightly race trace the paths of pleasure (while) disporting on thy margent green, ...

poetic diction: the word choice, sentence structures, and figures of speech used in poetry insofar as they deviate from ordinary speech

principles for working with poetic diction, with caveats:

1) See the sentences comprised by the lines. Caveat: in 20th C poetry especially, sometimes the lines don't add up to sentences.

2) Figure out literal meaning before jumping to a metaphorical one. Caveat: in 20th C (and later) poetry especially, the combination of words won't necessarily make literal sense

3) Read slowly, and several times.

ode: a long lyric poem, with a serious subject and formal, elevated language.

encomiastic: written to praise someone or something

O Wind, thou...Thou, from whose...

O Thou,Who...

Wild Spirit...

hear, O hear!

If I were...If I were...

If even...I were...

I would ne'er have striven...

Oh! lift me...I fall...A heavy weight...