Analysis of Lines Written At Norwich On The First News Of Peace
Amelia Opie 1769 (Norwich, England) – 1853 (Norwich, England)
What means that wild and joyful cry?
Why do yon crowds in mean attire
Throw thus their ragged arms on high?
In want what can such joy inspire?
And why on every face I meet
Now beams a smile, now drops a tear?
Like longloved friends, lo! strangers greet, . . . .
Each to his fellow man seems dear.
In one warm glow of christian love
Forgot all proud distinctions seem;
The rich, the poor, together rove;
Their eyes with answering kindness beam . . . .
Blest sound! blest sight! . . . . But pray ye pause
And bid my eager wonder cease;
Of joy like this, say, what's the cause?. . . .
A thousand voices answer . . . . 'PEACE!'
O sound most welcome to my heart!
Tidings for which I've sighed for years!
But ill would words my joy impart;
Let me my rapture speak in tears.
Ye patient poor, from wonder free
Your signs of joy I now survey,
And hope your sallow cheeks to see
Once more the bloom of health display.
Of those poor babes that on your knees
Imploring food have vainly hung,
You'll soon each craving want appease, . . . .
For Plenty comes with Peace along.
And you, fond parents, faithful wives,
Who've long for sons and husbands feared,
Peace now shall save their precious lives;
They come by danger more endeared.
But why, to all these transports dead,
Steals yon shrunk form from forth the throng?
Has she not heard the tidings spread?
Tell her these shouts to Peace belong . . . .
'Talk not of Peace, . . . . the sound I hate,'
The mourner with a sigh replied;
'Alas! Peace comes for me too late, . . . .
For my brave boy in Egypt died!'
Poor mourner! at thy tale of grief
The crowd was mute and sad awhile;
But e'en compassion's tears are brief
When general transport claims a smile.
Full soon they checked the tender sigh
Their glowing hearts to pity gave;
But, while the mourner yet was nigh,
They warmly blessed the slaughtered brave: . . . .
And from all hearts, as sad she passed,
This virtuous prayer her sorrow draws: . . . .
'Grant, Heaven, those tears may be the last
That war, detested war, shall cause! . . . .
Oh! if with pure ambition fraught
All nations join this virtuous prayer,
If they, by late experience taught,
No longer wish to slay, but spare, . . . .
Then hostile bands on War's red plain
For conquest have not vainly burned,
Nor then through long long years in vain
Have thousands died and millions mourned.
Scheme | AXAX BCBX XDXD EFGF HXHX IJIJ KXKL XXXX MLML NONO PQPQ ARAR SESG TCTC UXUX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (53%) Etheree (27%) Tetractys (20%) |
Metre | 11110101 111101010 11110111 01111101 011100111 11011101 1111101 11110111 01111101 01110101 01010101 111100101 11111111 01110101 11111101 01010101 11110111 10111111 11111101 11110101 11011101 11111101 0111111 11011101 11111111 01011101 11110101 11011101 01110101 01110101 11111101 11110101 11111011 11111101 11110101 10111101 11110111 01010101 01111111 11110101 11011111 01110101 1111111 110001101 11110101 11011101 11010111 11010101 01111111 110010101 110111101 11010111 11110101 110111001 111101001 11011111 11011111 11011101 11111101 11010101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 2,312 |
Words | 407 |
Sentences | 77 |
Stanzas | 15 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 60 |
Letters per line (avg) | 29 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 117 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 30 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 2:03 min read
- 118 Views
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"Lines Written At Norwich On The First News Of Peace" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/2045/lines-written-at-norwich-on-the-first-news-of-peace>.
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