The poem’s first rhyme is between “discontent” and ”meant” in lines 1 and 3. Here we have the final rhyme pair: “content”/ “meant.” The rhyme pairs are nearly the same. The repetition of these words gives the poem’s progression a cyclical quality. We arrive back at the beginning, leaving us to wonder whether the speaker got anywhere at all.
There is a rich relationship between “grieve” and “love.” The two words represent counterparts in the parallel structure of the opening lines. The words align metrically as well, falling on the second syllable and first beat of their respective lines. The words also share a subtle rhyme. The r and l in the beginning of each are connected through the paired relationship of the letters: r and l are known as the liquid consonants. Thus “grieve” and “love” form a rim rhyme, in which the first and last sounds of the rhymed syllable align. The underlying idea is that grieving and loving are inseparable, a theme that plays itself out as the poem unfolds.
Notice that lines 8 and 10 share the same end word in order to complete the rhyme scheme of this sestet. This suggests that there is a connection between the ideas in these two lines. Line 8 describes her care like a shadow, following her until she tries to chase it. Line 10 describes her feeling of regret or resentment over his “too familiar care.” This connection could suggest that the “it” in line 10 is her care. Thus she rues her care because it causes him to be “too familiar” with the queen.
The speaker constructs her poem in the style of traditional unrequited love poetry. The ABABCC sestet rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter mimic the Petrarchan sonnet which was popular at this time. However, while Queen Elizabeth’s form takes on the popular style, her theme is more complicated than simple subject of unrequited love that dominates the sonnet tradition.
