Analysis of Immortality



So I have sunk my roots in earth
Since that my pretty boys had birth;
And fear no more the grave and gloom,
I, with the centuries to come.

As the tree blossoms so bloom I,
Flinging wild branches to the sky;
Renew each year my leafy suit,
Strike with the years a deeper root.

Shelter a thousand birds to be,
A thousand herds give praise to me;
And in my kind and grateful shade
How many a weary head be laid.

I clothe myself without a stain.
In me a child is born again,
A child that looks with innocent eyes
On a new world with glad surprise.

The old mistakes are all undone,
All the old sins are purged and gone.
Old wounds and scars have left no trace,
There are no lines in this young face.

To hear the cuckoo the first time,
And 'mid new roses in the prime
To read the poets newly. This,
Year after year, shall be my bliss.

Of me shall love be born anew;
I shall be loved and lover too;
Years after this poor body has died
Shall be the bridegroom and the bride.

Of me shall mothers spring to know
The mother's bliss, the mother's woe;
And children's children yet to be
Shall learn their prayers about my knee.

And many million lights of home
Shall light for me the time to come.
Unto me much shall be forgiven,
I that make many souls for heaven.


Scheme AAXB CCDD EEFF XXGG HXII JJKK LLMM NNEE XBHH
Poetic Form Quatrain  (56%)
Metre 11111101 11110111 01110101 11010011 10110111 10110101 01111101 11010101 10010111 01011111 00110101 110010111 1110101 01011101 011111001 10111101 01011101 10111101 11011111 11110111 1101011 01110001 11010101 11011111 11111101 11110101 110111011 1101001 11110111 01010101 01010111 11110111 01010111 11110111 101111010 111101110
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,257
Words 249
Sentences 14
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 36
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 107
Words per stanza (avg) 27
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:15 min read
45

Katharine Tynan

Katharine Tynan was an Irish-born writer, known mainly for her novels and poetry. more…

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