Analysis of My Friend
Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919
When first I looked upon the face of Pain
I shrank repelled, as one shrinks from a foe
Who stands with dagger poised, as for a blow.
I was in search of Pleasure and of Gain;
I turned aside to let him pass: in vain;
He looked straight in my eyes and would not go.
'Shake hands,' he said; 'our paths are one, and so
We must be comrades on the way, 'tis plain.'
I felt the firm clasp of his hand on mine;
Through all my veins it sent a strengthening glow.
I straightway linked my arm in his, and lo!
He led me forth to joys almost divine;
With God's great truths enriched me in the end:
And now I hold him as my dearest friend.
Scheme | ABBAABBACBBCDD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1111010111 1101111101 1111011101 1101110011 1101111101 1110110111 11111011101 111110111 1101111111 11111101001 111110101 111111101 1111011001 0111111101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 619 |
Words | 132 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 14 |
Lines Amount | 14 |
Letters per line (avg) | 34 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 472 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 128 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 13, 2023
- 39 sec read
- 76 Views
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"My Friend" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/10718/my-friend>.
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