Analysis of Big Words

Robert Graves 1895 (Wimbledon) – 1985 (Deià)



I've whined of coming death, but now, no more!
It's weak and most ungracious. For, say I,
Though still a boy if years are counted, why!
I've lived those years from roof to cellar-floor,
And feel, like grey-beards touching their fourscore,
Ready, so soon as the need comes, to die:
And I'm satisfied.
For winning confidence in those quiet days
Of peace, poised sickly on the precipice side
Of Lliwedd crag by Snowdon, and in war
Finding it familiar with me than before;
Winning a faith in the wisdom of God's ways
That once I lost, finding it justified
Even in this chaos; winning love that stays
And warms the heart like wine at Easter-tide;
Having earlier tried
False loves in plenty; oh! my cup of praise
Brims over, and I know I'll feel small sorrow,
Confess no sins and make no weak delays
If death ends all and I must die to-morrow.'
But on the firestep, waiting to attack,
He cursed, prayed, sweated, wished the proud words back.


Scheme ABBAABCDCAADCDCCDEDEFF
Poetic Form
Metre 1111011111 11011111 1101111101 1111111101 011111011 1011101111 0110 11010001101 11110101001 111110001 10101011101 10010010111 111110110 10011010111 0101111101 101001 1101011111 11001111110 0111011101 11110111110 110110101 1111010111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 922
Words 172
Sentences 8
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 22
Lines Amount 22
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 724
Words per stanza (avg) 169
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

53 sec read
188

Robert Graves

Robert von Ranke Graves was an English poet, scholar/translator/writer of antiquity specializing in Classical Greece and Rome, novelist and soldier in World War One. more…

All Robert Graves poems | Robert Graves Books

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