Analysis of The Atheist And The Acorn

Anne Kingsmill Finch 1661 – 1720 (Westminster)



Methinks this World is oddly made,
 And ev'ry thing's amiss,
A dull presuming Atheist said,
As stretch'd he lay beneath a Shade;
 And instanced in this:

Behold, quoth he, that mighty thing,
 A Pumpkin, large and round,
Is held but by a little String,
Which upwards cannot make it spring,
 Or bear it from the Ground.

Whilst on this Oak, a Fruit so small,
 So disproportion'd, grows;
That, who with Sence surveys this All,
This universal Casual Ball,
 Its ill Contrivance knows.

My better Judgment wou'd have hung
 That Weight upon a Tree,
And left this Mast, thus slightly strung,
'Mongst things which on the Surface sprung,
 And small and feeble be.

No more the Caviller cou'd say,
 Nor farther Faults descry;
For, as he upwards gazing lay,
An Acorn, loosen'd from the Stay,
 Fell down upon his Eye.

Th' offended Part with Tears ran o'er,
 As punish'd for the Sin:
Fool! had that Bough a Pumpkin bore,
Thy Whimseys must have work'd no more,
 Nor Scull had kept them in.


Scheme ABXAB CDCCD EFEEF GHGGH IHIIX XJKKJ
Poetic Form Etheree  (37%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 1111101 01101 010101001 11110101 0101 01111101 010101 11110101 11010111 111101 11110111 111 11110111 10101001 110101 11010111 110101 01111101 11110101 010101 110111 11011 11110101 11010101 110111 11010111110 110101 11110101 1111111 111110
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 978
Words 173
Sentences 7
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 123
Words per stanza (avg) 29
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 05, 2023

54 sec read
171

Anne Kingsmill Finch

Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (née Kingsmill), was an English poet and courtier. Finch's works often express a desire for respect as a female poet, lamenting her difficult position as a woman in the literary establishment and the court, while writing of "political ideology, religious orientation, and aesthetic sensibility". Her works also allude to other female authors of the time, such as Aphra Behn and Katherine Phillips. Through her commentary on the mental and spiritual equality of the genders and the importance of women fulfilling their potential as a moral duty to themselves and to society, she is regarded as one of the integral female poets of the Restoration Era. Finch died in Westminster in 1720 and was buried at her home at Eastwell, Kent.  more…

All Anne Kingsmill Finch poems | Anne Kingsmill Finch Books

0 fans

Discuss this Anne Kingsmill Finch poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Atheist And The Acorn" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/3281/the-atheist-and-the-acorn>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    4
    days
    15
    hours
    17
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Which famous poet wrote the epic poem "Paradise Lost"?
    A Samuel Taylor Coleridge
    B John Keats
    C William Wordsworth
    D John Milton