Analysis of By the Hoof of the Wild Goat

Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)



By the Hoof of the Wild Goat uptossed
From the cliff where she lay in the Sun
Fell the Stone
To the Tarn where the daylight is lost,
So she fell from the light of the Sun
And alone!

Now the fall was ordained from the first
With the Goat and the Cliff and the Tarn,
But the Stone
Knows only her life is accursed
As she sinks from the light of the Sun
And alone!

Oh Thou Who hast builded the World,
Oh Thou Who hast lighted the Sun,
Oh Thou Who hast darkened the Tarn,
Judge Thou
The sin of the Stone that was hurled
By the goat from the light of the Sun,
As she sinks in the mire of the Tarn,
Even now--even now--even now!


Scheme abcabC abcabC abbdabbd
Poetic Form Etheree  (40%)
Tetractys  (25%)
Metre 10110111 101111001 101 10110111 111101101 001 101101101 101001001 101 1100111 111101101 001 1111101 11111001 11111001 11 01101111 101101101 111001101 101101101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 610
Words 131
Sentences 4
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 8
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 160
Words per stanza (avg) 43
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

39 sec read
154

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist chiefly remembered for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India and his tales for children. more…

All Rudyard Kipling poems | Rudyard Kipling Books

33 fans

Discuss this Rudyard Kipling poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "By the Hoof of the Wild Goat" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/33168/by-the-hoof-of-the-wild-goat>.

    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!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    0
    days
    19
    hours
    42
    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 William Wordsworth
    B Samuel Taylor Coleridge
    C John Keats
    D John Milton