Silk as sensory medium
Herrick uses fabric as a way to transform visual perception into a near-liquid experience of movement.
Verb choice signals transformation
'Liquefaction' suggests clothing is not static, but a dynamic, fluid substance that moves with the body.
Reading Notes
Baroque Sensuality: Movement as Aesthetic
Herrick transforms a simple observation of a woman walking into a sensory performance. By describing Julia's movement as a 'liquefaction' and 'vibration', he turns clothing from a passive covering into an active, almost living substance.
This poem exemplifies the Cavalier poet's approach: intimate, precise observation that eroticizes everyday moments through linguistic precision. The language is simultaneously technical and deeply sensual.
Technical Poetics of Motion
Notice how Herrick uses verb selection to create movement: 'flows', 'vibration', 'glittering'. Each word suggests a different type of motion, transforming a static image into a dynamic experience.
The poem's structure—two tercets with repeated rhythmic patterns—mirrors the physical movement it describes. Short, excited phrases ('Then, then') capture the speaker's breathless perception.