To Althea, from Prison
When Love with unconfined wings
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair
And fetter'd to her eye,
The birds that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying Thames,
Our careless heads with roses crown'd
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go tree
Fishes that tipple in the deep
Know no such liberty.
When, linnet-like confined, I
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty
And glories of my King;
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlargéd winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.
Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.
Quick facts about “To Althea, from Prison”
- Author
- Richard Lovelace
- First line
- When Love with unconfined wings
- Length
- 32 lines in 4 stanzas
- Time to learn
- about 16 minutes
Questions about “To Althea, from Prison”
Who wrote “To Althea, from Prison”?
“To Althea, from Prison” was written by Richard Lovelace.
What is the first line of “To Althea, from Prison”?
The first line of “To Althea, from Prison” is: “When Love with unconfined wings”
How long is “To Althea, from Prison”?
“To Althea, from Prison” is 32 lines long, in 4 stanzas.
How long does it take to memorize “To Althea, from Prison”?
Plan on about 16 minutes in the Memorizun trainer, which hides words and letters step by step so you recall the text instead of rereading it. A few short sessions on separate days help it stick.
What is the best way to memorize “To Althea, from Prison”?
Read it aloud once or twice, then use the trainer to hide more of the text each round until you can say it without looking. Learn it stanza by stanza, then join the stanzas together. Review it again the next day.
