The poem closely follows the 14-line rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet, except for lines eleven and twelve, which are inverted. Most of the poem also maintains a consistent iambic pentameter, except for the first three lines. The first and third lines end with an added unstressed syllable, while lines two and three begin with a stressed syllable. This creates a sense of instability and volatility, especially compared to the rigid iamb structure of the second stanza.
