Analysis of Roy Butler

Edgar Lee Masters 1868 (Garnett) – 1950 (Elkins Park)



If the learned Supreme Court of Illinois
Got at the secret of every case
As well as it does a case of rape
It would be the greatest court in the world.
A jury, of neighbors mostly, with "Butch" Weldy
As foreman, found me guilty in ten minutes
And two ballots on a case like this:
Richard Bandle and I had trouble over a fence,
And my wife and Mrs. Bandle quarreled
As to whether Ipava was a finer town than Table Grove.
I awoke one morning with the love of God
Brimming over my heart, so I went to see Richard
To settle the fence in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
I knocked on the door, and his wife opened;
She smiled and asked me in. I entered --
She slammed the door and began to scream,
"Take your hands off, you low down varlet!"
Just then her husband entered.
I waved my hands, choked up with words.
He went for his gun, and I ran out.
But neither the Supreme Court nor my wife
Believed a word she said.


Scheme ABCDEFGHIJKLMNLODLPQRS
Poetic Form
Metre 101011101 1101011001 111110111 1110101001 010110101110 11011100110 011010111 101011101001 011010110 11101101011101 10111010111 1010111111110 1100100101101 1110101110 110110110 110100111 11111111 1101010 11111111 111110111 1100011111 010111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 893
Words 184
Sentences 11
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 22
Lines Amount 22
Letters per line (avg) 32
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 698
Words per stanza (avg) 181
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

54 sec read
142

Edgar Lee Masters

Edgar Lee Masters was an American poet, biographer, and dramatist. more…

All Edgar Lee Masters poems | Edgar Lee Masters Books

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