Analysis of In Grandmamma's Kitchen

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



In grandmamma's kitchen, things got in a riot-
The cream in a pot on the shelf,
Where everything always seemed peaceful and quiet,
Got whipped, for I heard it myself.
And grandmamma said-such a queer thing to say,
That it made some things better to whip them that way.

Some bold naughty eggs that refused to be eaten,
On toast with their brothers may be,
Were stripped of their clothing and cruelly beaten
Right where all the dishes could see.
And grandmamma said though the poor things might ache,
The harder the beating, the lighter the cake.

The bright golden butter was petted and patted
And coaxed to be shapely and good.
But it finally had to be taken and spatted
Right hard with a paddle of wood.
When grandmamma carried the round balls away,
The buttermilk sulked, and looked sour all day.

The water declared that the coffee was muddy,
But an egg settled that little fuss.
Then the steak and the gridiron got in a bloody
And terrible broil! Such a muss!
And a flat-iron spat at grandma in the face,
And I ran away from the quarrelsome place.


Scheme ABABCC DEDEFF XGAGCC EXECHH
Poetic Form
Metre 0110110010 01001101 1101110010 1111111 011101111 111111011111 111011011110 11111011 01111001010 11101011 011101111 01001001001 011010110010 01111001 111001111001 11101011 111001101 0101011011 010011010110 111101101 101001010010 01001101 001101110001 01101101001
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,034
Words 193
Sentences 12
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 208
Words per stanza (avg) 48
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

58 sec read
49

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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