Analysis of I met a King this afternoon!

Emily Dickinson 1830 (Amherst) – 1886 (Amherst)



I met a King this afternoon!
He had not on a Crown indeed,
A little Palmleaf Hat was all,
And he was barefoot, I'm afraid!

But sure I am he Ermine wore
Beneath his faded Jacket's blue—
And sure I am, the crest he bore
Within that Jacket's pocket too!

For 'twas too stately for an Earl—
A Marquis would not go so grand!
'Twas possibly a Czar petite—
A Pope, or something of that kind!

If I must tell you, of a Horse
My freckled Monarch held the rein—
Doubtless an estimable Beast,
But not at all disposed to run!

And such a wagon! While I live
Dare I presume to see
Another such a vehicle
As then transported me!

Two other ragged Princes
His royal state partook!
Doubtless the first excursion
These sovereigns ever took!

I question if the Royal Coach
Round which the Footmen wait
Has the significance, on high,
Of this Barefoot Estate!


Scheme XXXX ABAB XXXX XXXC XDXD XECE XFXF
Poetic Form Quatrain  (57%)
Metre 1101101 11110101 0101111 0111101 11111101 0111011 01110111 0111101 11110111 0111111 11000101 01110111 11111101 1101101 10110001 11110111 01010111 110111 01010100 110101 1101010 11011 1001010 110101 11010101 11011 10010011 11101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 823
Words 159
Sentences 12
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 23
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 93
Words per stanza (avg) 22
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

48 sec read
109

Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. more…

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