The Glass Essay

“The Glass Essay” is written in free verse, contrasting sharply with the poems of Emily Bronte, which have a structured rhyme scheme and meter.  Carson varies the use of syllables by line. For example, line 790 contains almost 20 syllables, while line 803 contains six syllables. Tercets (three-line stanzas) dominate the structure of the poem, however, Carson occasionally adds a line and includes a quatrain (a four-line stanza). The relatively orderly stanzas juxtapose the speaker’s emotional disarray and her tendency to jump from topic to topic, from self to Emily, from inner conversation to dialogues with her mother. The relatively predictable structure of the stanzas adds stability while the speaker moves from her mother’s kitchen, to moments in her past, to the life and literature of Emily.

The poem's essay-like tendencies contribute to its form, but occasionally undermine the predictable structure. Carson includes excerpts from Emily Brontë’s work, her biographers, critics, and her sister Charlotte. These quotes and poetry excerpts can make it difficult to discern the beginning and ending of stanzas. After line 868, Carson introduces Emily’s poem about Thou.  It is unclear if this poem is a part of the previous stanza, or if Emily’s poem, which itself has three stanzas, should be considered separately.