Analysis of Magi
wear a coat, says she
cautioning, as mothers would
reassuring kiss
filled with joy I prance
hooves like drums devouring space
grasping air and time
near a tree we met
motherless and freed of love
cheering liberty
for a long journey
unprepared but confident
boyish fearlessness
hardship on the way
lashing winds across my face
devastating cold
famine on the way
wishing for a house of bread
or an inn, at least
murder on the way
sniping from a hidden dark
father, cover me
where will I find peace
longing for a mother's kiss
wear a coat, said she
where will I bring peace
what the gift I freely wear
wear a coat, said she
three mere boys were we
ready for another death?
ready for a birth?
when we came to land
cradle made amid debris
cooing mixed with fear
where your father, child
where the voice that gave you life
no reply was heard
where your mother, child
where the reassuring kiss
no reply was heard
what your name, I asked
not expecting an answer
wear a coat, said he
father, mother, child
Scheme | axb xcx xxa axb dcx dxx dxa ebA exA axx xax fxG fbG xxa f |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 10111 1001101 0101 11111 11101001 10101 10111 1000111 10100 10110 011100 101 10101 1010111 1001 10101 1010111 11111 10101 1010101 10101 11111 1010101 10111 11111 1011101 10111 11101 1010101 10101 11111 1010101 10111 11101 1011111 10111 11101 100101 10111 11111 1010110 10111 10101 |
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 1,010 |
Words | 201 |
Sentences | 3 |
Stanzas | 15 |
Stanza Lengths | 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 1 |
Lines Amount | 43 |
Letters per line (avg) | 19 |
Words per line (avg) | 4 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 53 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 12 |
About this poem
Inspired by Eliot's wonderful "Journey of the Magi".
Font size:
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Magi" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/177270/magi>.
Discuss this Corneigh Hoff poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In