Analysis of The Falling Of Thrones

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



Above the din of commerce, above the clamor and rattle
Of labor disputing with riches, of Anarchists' threats and groans,
Above the hurry and hustle and roar of that bloodless battle,
Where men are fighting for riches. I hear the falling of thrones.

I see no savage host, I hear no martial drumming,
But down in the dust at our feet lie the useless crowns of kings;
And the mighty spirit of Progress is steadily coming, coming,
And the flag of one republic abroad to the world he flings.

The Universal Republic, where worth, not birth, is royal;
Where the lowliest born may climb on a self-made ladder to fame;
Where the highest and proudest born, if he be not true and loyal,
Shall find no masking title to cover and gild his shame.

Not with the bellow of guns and not with sabres whetting,
But with growing minds of men is waged this swordless fray;
While over the dim horizon the sun of royalty, setting,
Lights, with a dying splendor, the humblest toiler's way.


Scheme ABAB CDCD AEAE CFCF
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 010111001010010 1100101101100101 0101001001111010 111101101101011 1111011111010 1100111011010111 0010101111001010 001110100110111 00100101111110 10111110111011 1010010111111010 11110101100111 1101011011101 111011111111 1100101001110010 1101010010011
Closest metre Iambic octameter
Characters 958
Words 177
Sentences 6
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 48
Words per line (avg) 11
Letters per stanza (avg) 190
Words per stanza (avg) 44
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

53 sec read
78

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. more…

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