Analysis of In the Orchard
Muriel Stuart 1885 – 1967
'I thought you loved me.' 'No, it was only fun.'
'When we stood there, closer than all?' 'Well, the harvest moon
Was shining and queer in your hair, and it turned my head.'
'That made you?' 'Yes.' 'Just the moon and the light it made
Under the tree?' 'Well, your mouth, too.' 'Yes, my mouth?'
'And the quiet there that sang like the drum in the booth.
You shouldn't have danced like that.' 'Like what?' 'So close,
Whith your head turned up, and the flower in your hair, a rose
That smelt all warm.' 'I loved you. I thought you knew
I wouldn't have danced like that with any but you.'
'I didn't know, I thought you knew it was fun.'
'I thought it was love you meant.' 'Well, it's done.' 'Yes, it's done.
I've seen boys stone a blackbird, and watched them drown
A kitten... it clawed at the reeds, and they pushed it down
Into the pool while it screamed. Is that fun, too?'
'Well, boys are like that... Your brothers...' 'Yes, I know.
But you, so lovely and strong! Not you! Not you!'
'They don't understand it's cruel. It's only a game.'
'And are girls fun, too?' 'No, still in a way it's the same.
It's queer and lovely to have a girl...' 'Go on.'
'It makes you mad for a bit to feel she's your own,
And you laugh and kiss her, and maybe you give her a ring,
But it's only in fun.' 'But I gave you everything.'
'Well, you shouldn't have done it. You know what a fellow thinks
When a girl does that.' 'Yes, he talks of her over his drinks
And calles her a--' 'Stop that now, I thought you knew.'
'But it wasn't with anyone else. It was only you.'
'How did I know? I thought you wanted it too.
I thought you were like the rest. Well, what's to be done?'
'To be done' 'Is it all right?' 'Yes.' 'Sure?' 'Yes, but why?'
'I don't know, I thought you where going to cry.
You said you had something to tell me.' 'Yes, I know.
It wasn't anything relly... I think I'll go.'
'Yes, it's late. There's thunder about, a drop of rain
Fell on my hand in the dark. I'll see you again
At the dance next week. You're sure that everything's right?'
'Yes,' 'Well, I'll be going.' 'Kiss me...' 'Good night.' ... 'Good night.'
Scheme | ABCDEFGHIIAAJJIKILLMNOOPPIIIAQQKKRSTT |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 11111111101 1111101110101 1100101101111 111110100111 10011111111 0010111101001 11011111111 11111001001101 11111111111 110111111011 11011111111 1111111111111 11110100111 0101110101111 01011111111 11111110111 11110011111 110111011001 0111111001101 11010110111 111110111111 01101001011001 111001111110 11101111110101 10111111101011 01001111111 1110110111101 11111111011 111010111111 111111111111 11111111011 111110111111 1101011111 111110010111 111100111101 10111111101 111110111111 |
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 2,075 |
Words | 447 |
Sentences | 64 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 37 |
Lines Amount | 37 |
Letters per line (avg) | 40 |
Words per line (avg) | 11 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 1,474 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 405 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 23, 2023
- 2:09 min read
- 86 Views
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"In the Orchard" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/28348/in-the-orchard>.
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