Analysis of What Would It Be?

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



Now what were the words of Jesus,
And what would He pause and say,
If we were to meet in home or street,
The Lord of the world to-day?
Oh, I think He would pause and say:
'Go on with your chosen labour;
Speak only good of your neighbour;
Widen your farms, and lay down your arms,
Or dig up the soil with each sabre.'

Now what were the answer of Jesus
If we should ask for a creed,
To carry us straight to the wonderful gate
When soul from body is freed?
Oh, I think He would give us this creed:
'Praise God whatever betide you;
Cast joy on the lives beside you;
Better the earth, by growing in worth,
With love as the law to guide you.'

Now what were the answer of Jesus
If we should ask Him to tell
Of the last great goal of the homing soul
Where each of us hopes to dwell?
Oh, I think it is this He would tell:
'The soul is the builder-then wake it;
The mind is the kingdom-then take it;
And thought upon thought let Eden be wrought,
For heaven will be what you make it.'


Scheme abxbbccxx Adxddeexe Afxffggxg
Poetic Form
Metre 11001110 0111101 110110111 0110111 11111101 1111101 1101111 101101111 111011110 110010110 1111101 11011101001 1111011 111111111 1110011 11101011 100111001 11101111 110010110 1111111 1011110101 1111111 111111111 011010111 011010111 0101111011 110111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 955
Words 203
Sentences 7
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 9, 9, 9
Lines Amount 27
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 247
Words per stanza (avg) 66
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:00 min read
43

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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