Analysis of A Matter of Chairs
Douglas Blair 1951 (London)
He sits amputated
Mechanized chair
In brisk open air.
His courage not under-rated.
The sign is brilliant green.
Homeless, please give
I’m trying to live
On my own.
Circumstances mean.
His affect seems blunted
So sad.
But just get him talking
He’s glad.
So pleased to re-enter
Though not at the centre
The Human Race isn’t so bad.
She was in the Chair
These past four years.
Movement and speech
Become mechanical.
Nifty stylus operated
By mouth and
Showing needs, hurts, triumphs.
Triumphs?
Yes definitely when
Reverse became manageable
On the joystick.
When spring melt might
Bring on sunny sidewalk
Journeying.
And Gary was there
As if nothing had changed.
Two kids showed stress
But not Gary.
Still caressing, and
Playing silly tricks.
Perhaps their laughter
Was best triumph.
And prayers seemingly
Never answered.
But they were answered.
Yes, no or later.
Covenant at that wedding
Seventeen years back.
Still operative.
Compelling.
Worthy.
Until death?
Well, they almost always
Shoved that monkey aside.
And carried on.
You’re up here now
Not the nasty kind.
Rather the rewarding.
Prayers that seemed
But I heard Child.
So many, you impacted
In that state.
And for the good.
I give you now
Best of society.
Conflicts stopped at the Gate.
Welcome, Child of the King.
You give me pleasure.
Spirit, with you all along.
Scheme | ABBCDEXXDCFGFHHF BXXICJKKXIXXXGBXXLJXHXLMMHGXEGLXXXX N X G X X A O X N L O G H X |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Tetractys (43%) |
Metre | 11100 101 01101 11011010 011101 1011 11011 111 1001 101110 11 111110 11 111110 111010 0101111 11001 1111 1001 010100 1010100 110 101110 10 110001 01011000 101 1111 11101 100 01011 111011 1111 1110 10100 10101 01110 1110 01100 1010 11010 11110 1001110 10111 11000 010 10 011 1111 111001 0101 1111 10101 100010 111 1111 110110 011 0101 1111 110100 011101 101101 11110 1011101 |
Closest metre | Iambic dimeter |
Characters | 1,592 |
Words | 359 |
Sentences | 45 |
Stanzas | 16 |
Stanza Lengths | 16, 35, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 |
Lines Amount | 65 |
Letters per line (avg) | 16 |
Words per line (avg) | 3 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 65 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 14 |
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Written on January 10, 1951
Submitted by dougb.72572 on January 13, 2023
Modified on March 24, 2023
- 1:47 min read
- 49 Views
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"A Matter of Chairs" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/150250/a-matter-of-chairs>.
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