Summary A* analysis of Christina Rossetti's Tune Me O Lord

Poem Analysis for Christina Rossetti’s Tune Me, O Lord

Themes:

Perfection
Music
God
Joy

Summary:

Rossetti’s ‘Tune me, O Lord’ is an utterly devotional, joyous poem which bases its
language on music. The speaker desires a oneness with God and for him to perfect
her.

Structure:

The lyric poem is structured into 3 stanzas, yet unlike many of her poems these are
not equal as the refrain “Tune me, O Lord” is removed from the middle stanza-
perhaps as God comes first and last. There is also a loose alternate end rhyme
structure, yet this perhaps exaggerates the excitement in the poem, which cannot be
contained to such a tight structure- Rossetti's devotion for God cannot be confined.




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Imagery:

The first line acts as a refrain which is used repeatedly throughout the poem “Tune
me, O Lord, into one harmony”, clearly a devotional poem through the stressed “O”,
in that does this suggest a desperation to be at one with God. The key idea of music
is especially interesting as though God will refine the speaker and perfect to his