Analysis of I should have been too glad, I see

Emily Dickinson 1830 (Amherst) – 1886 (Amherst)



I should have been too glad, I see—
Too lifted—for the scant degree
Of Life's penurious Round—
My little Circuit would have shamed
This new Circumference—have blamed—
The homelier time behind.

I should have been too saved—I see—
Too rescued—Fear too dim to me
That I could spell the Prayer
I knew so perfect—yesterday—
That Scalding One—Sabachthani—
Recited fluent—here—

Earth would have been too much—I see—
And Heaven—not enough for me—
I should have had the Joy
Without the Fear—to justify—
The Palm—without the Calvary—
So Savior—Crucify—
Defeat—whets Victory—they say—
The Reefs—in old Gethsemane—
Endear the Coast—beyond!
'Tis Beggars—Banquets—can define—
'Tis Parching—vitalizes Wine—
"Faith" bleats—to understand!


Scheme AAXBBX AAXCDX AAXEAECDXDDX
Poetic Form
Metre 11111111 11010101 111001 11010111 1101011 01101 11111111 11011111 111101 1110110 11011 010101 11111111 01010111 111101 0101110 01010100 11010 01110011 01011 010101 11010101 1111 11101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 778
Words 108
Sentences 4
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 12
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 4
Letters per stanza (avg) 190
Words per stanza (avg) 35
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 26, 2023

32 sec read
170

Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. more…

All Emily Dickinson poems | Emily Dickinson Books

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