Analysis of Although I put away his life

Emily Dickinson 1830 (Amherst) – 1886 (Amherst)



Although I put away his life—
An Ornament too grand
For Forehead low as mine, to wear,
This might have been the Hand

That sowed the flower, he preferred—
Or smoothed a homely pain,
Or pushed the pebble from his path—
Or played his chosen tune—

On Lute the least—the latest—
But just his Ear could know
That whatsoe'er delighted it,
I never would let go—

The foot to bear his errand—
A little Boot I know—
Would leap abroad like Antelope—
With just the grant to do—

His weariest Commandment—
A sweeter to obey,
Than "Hide and Seek"—
Or skip to Flutes—
Or all Day, chase the Bee—

Your Servant, Sir, will weary—
The Surgeon, will not come—
The World, will have its own—to do—
The Dust, will vex your Fame—

The Cold will force your tightest door
Some February Day,
But say my apron bring the sticks
To make your Cottage gay—

That I may take that promise
To Paradise, with me—
To teach the Angels, avarice,
You, Sir, taught first—to me.


Scheme XAXA XXXX XBXB XBXC XDXXE EXCX XDXD FEFE
Poetic Form
Metre 1110111 110011 11011111 111101 11010101 110101 11010111 111101 1101010 111111 110101 110111 0111110 010111 1101110 110111 11010 010101 1101 1111 111101 1101110 010111 01111111 011111 01111101 11001 11110101 111101 1111110 11011 11010100 111111
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 953
Words 176
Sentences 2
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 33
Letters per line (avg) 22
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 89
Words per stanza (avg) 22
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 13, 2023

53 sec read
132

Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. more…

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