A Glimpse

“A Glimpse” is a single-stanza poem of seven lines. The cursory nature of this poem’s form parallels the subject matter. The form is just as brief and fleeting as a “glimpse.” There is no rhyme scheme, and the line lengths vary. The first five lines alternate between a relatively short line, and a long line. Lines 1, 3, and 5 are shorter lines, with Lines 2 and 4 being almost twice as long. This switching back and forth between line lengths also matches the shifting focus between the public setting and the private nature of the two lovers’ relationship. The last two lines are longer and relatively the same length, providing a sense of finality for the text. In addition to there being no rhyme scheme, there is also a lack of a set metrical pattern, making it a free verse poem. This lack of a set meter makes the lines sound colloquial and unassuming, just like the “glimpse” being described by the speaker.