Review of "Love's Philosophy" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

"Love's Philosophy" by Percy Bysshe Shelley was offered by Poets.org's Poem-A-Day on Valentine's Day 2014.  A link to the poem may be found here:  http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19399.

Percy Bysshe Shelley (pictured) was born in 1792 and died in a tragic boating accident in 1822, just shy of his thirtieth birthday.  He began writing poetry at Eton College at the age of sixteen.  In the remaining years of his short life, he produced an immense volume of work.  Additional biographical information may be found here:  http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/179?utm_source=PAD%3A+Love%27s+Philosophy+by+Percy+Bysshe+Shelley&utm_campaign=poemaday_021414&utm_medium=email.

"Love's Philosophy" is a ballad presented in two octets rather than four quatrains.  Its rhythm is iambic tetrameter with a deliberate absence of the final foot every fourth line--a common poetic technique used as a cesura and for emphasis.  Both octets have the same rather obvious romantic message.