Analysis of Greed

Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli 1791 (Rome) – 1863



When I watch folks of this world and see how widespread
It is for those, that pile up treasure and put on fat, to chafe
At the bit and grasp for more, the way they hunger for a safe
As broad as the ocean, and so deep, that it'd never touch the seabed,

I say to myself: ah, you herd of blind fools, bank away, bank,
Ruining your days with anxieties, lose night after night of sleep,
Do shady deals and diddle: then what? Old Granpa Time'll creep
In with his scythe, and slice away at your bundle of plans, hank after hank.

Death's hidden away, and hunkers inside the clock-tower;
And no one can say: Tomorrow, once more I'll
Still hear midday ring out like today, at this very same hour.

What's the poor pilgrim do when he takes on a rough and tough
Journey, knowing he'll travel but for a little while?
He packs a crust or two of bread, and that's enough.


Scheme ABBA CDDC EFE GFG
Poetic Form
Metre 111111101111 111111110011111 101011101110101 11101001111010101 11111111111011 10011101001110111 110101111111 011101011110111101 1100101010110 0111101111 111111011110110 10110111110101 1010110110101 110111110101
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 851
Words 167
Sentences 6
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 47
Words per line (avg) 12
Letters per stanza (avg) 164
Words per stanza (avg) 41
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

52 sec read
166

Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli

Giuseppe Francesco Antonio Maria Gioachino Raimondo Belli was an Italian poet, famous for his sonnets in Romanesco, the dialect of Rome. more…

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