Analysis of The Ballad of Sparrow Gary

Emma Read 1984 (Devon)



High up in a lonely gutter,
Sparrow Gary sings his song,
Gathering his nesty clutter,
All the while the days get long.

Chirrup chirrup chirrup chirrup,
Peeking from above.
Chirrup chirrup “Lady Sparrow,
Won’t you be my love?”

Spring blooms into lusty Summer,
Still our hero sings alone
No mate for him, this bold newcomer,
No queen to share his twiggy throne.

Chirrup chirrup chirrup chirrup,
A din from up above.
Chirrup chirrup “Lady Sparrow,
Won’t you be my love?”

Dusky Autumn, crisper weather,
Leaves fall and the days get short,
Gary shivers, plumps his feathers,
On lofty corner holding court.

Chirrup chirrup chirrup chirrup,
Preening high above.
Chirrup chirrup “Lady Sparrow,
Won’t you be my love?”

A snick of claws on Gary’s gutter,
But Gary’s own are tucked inside,
Who is this now, plumes all aflutter?
And will she be his downy bride?

Chirrup chirrup chirrup chirrup,
Hear her shout, there above.
Chirrup chirrup “Sparrow Gary,
I will be your love”


Scheme abab CdED afaf CdED agxg CdED ahah Cdxd
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 11001010 1010111 1001110 1010111 1111 10101 111010 11111 11011010 11010101 11111110 11111101 1111 011101 111010 11111 1101010 1100111 10101110 11010101 1111 10101 111010 11111 01111110 1111101 111111010 01111101 1111 101101 111010 11111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 957
Words 165
Sentences 13
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 94
Words per stanza (avg) 20
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Submitted by magdred on April 29, 2021

Modified on April 14, 2023

49 sec read
34

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