Poem · Gerard Manley Hopkins

The Sea Took Pity

“The Sea Took Pity” by Gerard Manley Hopkins: full text of the poem (5 lines, 43 words), five-line stanza. Public domain.

The sea took pity: it interposed with doom:
‘I have tall daughters dear that heed my hand:
Let Winter wed one, sow them in her womb,
And she shall child them on the New-world strand.’
. . . . . . . .

Typesetting this poem in a book

Trim (11 pt)Characters per lineLongest line
5 x 8 in55 charactersFits
5.5 x 8.5 in Digest62 charactersFits
6 x 9 in US Trade67 charactersFits
7 x 10 in Executive81 charactersFits

Poetry should not wrap mid-line; if it must, indent the turnover. See the poetry collection guide.

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