Analysis of Rhymes for Gloriana
Vachel Lindsay 1879 (Springfield) – 1931 (Springfield)
I. THE DOLL UPON THE TOPMOST BOUGH
This doll upon the topmost bough,
This playmate-gift, in Christmas dress,
Was taken down and brought to me
One sleety night most comfortless.
Her hair was gold, her dolly-sash
Was gray brocade, most good to see.
The dear toy laughed, and I forgot
The ill the new year promised me.
II. ON SUDDENLY RECEIVING A CURL LONG REFUSED
Oh, saucy gold circle of fairyland silk —
Impudent, intimate, delicate treasure:
A noose for my heart and a ring for my finger: —
Here in my study you sing me a measure.
Whimsy and song in my little gray study!
Words out of wonderland, praising her fineness,
Touched with her pulsating, delicate laughter,
Saying, "The girl is all daring and kindness!"
Saying, "Her soul is all feminine gameness,
Trusting her insights, ardent for living;
She would be weeping with me and be laughing,
A thoroughbred, joyous receiving and giving!"
III. ON RECEIVING ONE OF GLORIANA'S LETTERS
Your pen needs but a ruffle
To be Pavlova whirling.
It surely is a scalawag
A-scamping down the page.
A pretty little May-wind
The morning buds uncurling.
And then the white sweet Russian,
The dancer of the age.
Your pen's the Queen of Sheba,
Such serious questions bringing,
That merry rascal Solomon
Would show a sober face: —
And then again Pavlova
To set our spirits singing,
The snowy-swan bacchante
All glamour, glee and grace.
IV. IN PRAISE OF GLORIANA'S REMARKABLE GOLDEN HAIR
The gleaming head of one fine friend
Is bent above my little song,
So through the treasure-pits of Heaven
In fancy's shoes, I march along.
I wander, seek and peer and ponder
In Splendor's last ensnaring lair—
'Mid burnished harps and burnished crowns
Where noble chariots gleam and flare:
Amid the spirit-coins and gems,
The plates and cups and helms of fire—
The gorgeous-treasure-pits of Heaven—
Where angel-misers slake desire!
O endless treasure-pits of gold
Where silly angel-men make mirth—
I think that I am there this hour,
Though walking in the ways of earth!
Scheme | A ABCB XCDC X EFFF CBFX BGGG X XGEHXEIH XGIJXGDJ K XLIL FKXK XFIF XMFM |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 10101011 1101011 1110101 11010111 11111 01110101 11011111 01110101 01011101 1110001001101 1101101101 110010010 011110011110 10110111010 10010110110 111101001 1101010010 10011110010 1001111001 100110110 11110110110 010110010010 1101011110 1111010 11110 110101 01101 0101011 01011 0101110 010101 1101110 11001010 11010100 110101 01011 11101010 01011 110101 101110100101 01011111 11011101 110101110 0111101 110101010 01111 11010101 110100101 01010101 010101110 010101110 110101010 11010111 11010111 111111110 11000111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,969 |
Words | 344 |
Sentences | 20 |
Stanzas | 15 |
Stanza Lengths | 1, 4, 4, 1, 4, 4, 4, 1, 8, 8, 1, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 56 |
Letters per line (avg) | 28 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 105 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 23 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:44 min read
- 116 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Rhymes for Gloriana" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/37329/rhymes-for-gloriana>.
Discuss this Vachel Lindsay poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In