Analysis of Draxy's Hymn

Helen Hunt Jackson 1830 (Amherst, Massachusetts) – 1885 (San Francisco)



I cannot think but God must know
About the thing I long for so;
I know He is so good, so kind,
I cannot think but He will find
Some way to help, some way to show
Me to the thing I long for so.

I stretch my hand-it lies so near:
It looks so sweet, it looks so dear.
'Dear Lord,' I pray, 'Oh, let me know
If it is wrong to want it so?'
He only smiles-He does not speak:
My heart grows weaker and more weak,
With looking at the thing so dear,
Which lies so far, and yet so near.

Now, Lord, I leave at thy loved feet
This thing which looks so near, so sweet;
I will not seek, I will not long-
almost fear I have been wrong.
I'll go, and work the harder, Lord,
And wait till by some loud, clear word
Thou callest me to thy loved feet,
To take this thing so dear, so sweet.


Scheme AABBAA CCAADDCC EEFFXXEE
Poetic Form
Metre 11011111 01011111 11111111 11011111 11111111 11011111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11011111 11110011 11010111 11110111 11111111 11111111 11111111 111111 11010101 01111111 1111111 11111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 754
Words 168
Sentences 7
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 8, 8
Lines Amount 22
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 189
Words per stanza (avg) 55
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

50 sec read
46

Helen Hunt Jackson

Helen Maria Hunt Jackson, born Helen Fiske, was an American poet and writer who became an activist on behalf of improved treatment of Native Americans by the United States government. more…

All Helen Hunt Jackson poems | Helen Hunt Jackson Books

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