Analysis of Prayer Shawl
Worn carpet, smelling of
body sweat & animals,
bright red shawl – soft soft yarn –
draped over bowed head;
this is a ritual since December
Feet on carpet. Knees on raised stair.
Low tune from the heater as warm
current brushes thigh, back;
keeps cold from distracting.
Forehead resting on mattress,
palms clasp.
I do not pray for my sins;
that would be dishonest.
I do not pray for your sins;
that would be arrogant.
I pray for the courage of another day
and the company of angels.
Scheme | ABCDEFGHIJKLMLNOB |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 110101 101100 111111 11011 1101001010 11101111 11101011 101011 111010 1010110 11 1111111 111010 1111111 111100 11101010101 00100110 |
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 474 |
Words | 89 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 17 |
Lines Amount | 17 |
Letters per line (avg) | 22 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 377 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 89 |
About this poem
Published in The Widow's Handbook. The Kent State Press.2014 From Ariel's Waiting Room Collection.
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Written on October 22, 2011
Submitted by Ariel on September 19, 2021
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 26 sec read
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"Prayer Shawl" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 8 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/109938/prayer-shawl>.
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