In line 11 of the poem ("And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds"), the alliterative phrase is "were walking." The alliteration here works in combination with several other techniques to create a lilting rhythm to the line. The other techniques are the internal rhyme of "gowns" and "rounds" and the repetition of the same meter in each clause. Each clause begins with an iamb, where the second syllable is stressed ("An Priest," "Were walk"), and ends with an anapest, where the third syllable is stressed ("in black gowns," "king their rounds"). The alliteration, in combination with the internal rhyme and the repetitive meter, creates a lilting, repetitive rhythm, perhaps reflecting the solemn and repetitive movements of the priests, who walk "their rounds" through the graveyard.

In line 12 of the poem ("And binding with briars, my joys & desires"), the alliterative phrase is "binding with briars." The repetition here of the blunt sound evoked by the letter "b" emphasizes the forcefulness of the action being described. The speaker is being constrained and consequently feels trapped. His "joys & desires" are being metaphorically bound together by the priests, and, on a deeper level, by the orthodox, prescriptive religion that those priests personify.