The Argument of His Book

Herrick’s poem is comprised of a single stanza of 14 lines of rhyming couplets, which is a sonnet structure. Except for the first, third and fourth lines, which are slightly longer, all of the lines are relatively the same length. Although the line lengths may slightly vary, they are all written (except for the last line) in iambic pentameter, meaning that they each contain five units, or poetic feet, of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. This pattern is easily illustrated and evident in the first two lines: “I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds and bowers, / Of April, May, of June and July flowers” (Lines 1-2). The repeated pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables carries through the first 13 lines. This sing-song, “bouncy” rhythm creates an upbeat energy as readers progress through the lines and subjects with positive, bright, rich, and mythical connotations. As “The Argument of His Book” is placed at the beginning of Hesperides and is intended to prepare the reader for what they will encounter in the text, the hope would be for this energy to encourage the reader to continue reading and pervade through the rest of the reading experience.