Analysis of Arise

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



Why sit ye idly dreaming all the day,
While the golden, precious hours flit away?
See you not the day is waning, waning fast?
That the morn's already vanished in the past?

When the glowing noon approaches, we will rest
Who have worked through all the morning; but at best,
If you work with zeal and ardor till the night,
You can only make the wasted moments right.

Think you life was made for dreaming, nothing more,
When God's work lies all unfinished at your door?
Souls to save and hearts to strengthen--ah! such work,
Such a richly freighted labor, who would shirk?

Then arise, O idle dreamer! Dreams are sweet,
But better flowers are growing at your feet.
If you crush, or pass unheeding, idle friend,
You shall answer for their ruin in the end.


Scheme AABB CCDD EEFF GGHH
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 1111010101 10101010101 11101110101 10101010001 10101010111 11111010111 11111010101 11101010101 11111110101 11111010111 11101110111 1010110111 10111010111 11010110111 111111101 11101110001
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 755
Words 138
Sentences 11
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 37
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 146
Words per stanza (avg) 34
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 31, 2023

42 sec read
90

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. more…

All Ella Wheeler Wilcox poems | Ella Wheeler Wilcox Books

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