Analysis of A Tear And A Smile

Khalil Gibran 1883 (Bsharri) – 1931 (New York City)



I would not exchange the sorrows of my heart
For the joys of the multitude.
And I would not have the tears that sadness makes
To flow from my every part turn into laughter.

I would that my life remain a tear and a smile.

A tear to purify my heart and give me understanding
Of life's secrets and hidden things.
A smile to draw me nigh to the sons of my kind and
To be a symbol of my glorification of the gods.

A tear to unite me with those of broken heart;
A smile to be a sign of my joy in existence.

I would rather that I died in yearning and longing than that I live Weary and despairing.

I want the hunger for love and beauty to be in the
Depths of my spirit,for I have seen those who are
Satisfied the most wretched of people.
I have heard the sigh of those in yearning and Longing, and it is sweeter than the sweetest melody.

With evening's coming the flower folds her petals
And sleeps, embracingher longing.
At morning's approach she opens her lips to meet
The sun's kiss.

The life of a flower is longing and fulfilment.
A tear and a smile.

The waters of the sea become vapor and rise and come
Together and area cloud.

And the cloud floats above the hills and valleys
Until it meets the gentle breeze, then falls weeping
To the fields and joins with brooks and rivers to Return to the sea, its home.

The life of clouds is a parting and a meeting.
A tear and a smile.

And so does the spirit become separated from
The greater spirit to move in the world of matter
And pass as a cloud over the mountain of sorrow
And the plains of joy to meet the breeze of death
And return whence it came.

To the ocean of Love and Beauty----to God.


Scheme axxb c dxxx ax d xxxx xdxx aC ex xdx dC ebxxx x
Poetic Form Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 11101010111 1011010 01111011101 1111100110110 111110101001 0111011011010 11100101 0111111011110 11010110010101 01111111101 0111011110010 11101110100101111100010 11010110101100 1111111111 100110110 1110111010010011101010100 110100101010 01110 110011100111 011 01101011001 01001 01010101100101 01001001 00110101010 011101011110 101011101010110111 011110100010 01001 011010011001 0101011001110 0110110010110 00111110111 001111 10101101011
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 1,630
Words 326
Sentences 20
Stanzas 13
Stanza Lengths 4, 1, 4, 2, 1, 4, 4, 2, 2, 3, 2, 5, 1
Lines Amount 35
Letters per line (avg) 37
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 99
Words per stanza (avg) 25
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 29, 2023

1:39 min read
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Khalil Gibran

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese artist, poet, and writer. more…

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