Analysis of Naaman

John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)



Before Elisha's gate
The Syrian leper stood;
But could not brook to wait,
He deemed himself too good:
He thought the prophet would attend,
And not to him a message send.

Have I this journey come,
And will he not be seen?
I were as well at home,
Would washing make me clean:
Why must I wash in Jordan's flood?
Damascus' rivers are as good.

Thus by his foolish pride
He almost missed a cure;
Howe'er at length he tried,
And found the method sure:
Soon as his pride was brought to yield,
The leprosy was quickly healed.

Leprous and proud as he,
To Jesus thus I came,
From sin to set me free,
When first I heard his fame:
Surely, thought I, my pompous train
Of vows and tears will notice gain.

My heart devised the way
Which I supposed he'd take;
And when I found delay,
Was ready to go back:
Had he some painful task enjoined,
I to performance seemed inclined.


Scheme ABABCC XDXDXB EFEFGG HIHIJJ KXKXXX
Poetic Form Etheree  (30%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 0111 0100101 111111 110111 11010101 01110101 111101 011111 101111 110111 11110101 01010111 111101 11101 101111 010101 11111111 01001101 10111 110111 111111 111111 10111101 11011101 110101 110111 011101 110111 11110101 11010101
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 840
Words 166
Sentences 8
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 22
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 132
Words per stanza (avg) 33
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 30, 2023

51 sec read
184

John Newton

Rev Dr John A Newton CBE is a prominent Methodist minister, author, historian and former President of the Methodist Conference. more…

All John Newton poems | John Newton Books

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