Analysis of A Year's Courtship
Henry Timrod 1828 (Charleston) – 1867 (Columbia)
I saw her, Harry, first, in March --
You know the street that leadeth down
By the old bridge's crumbling arch? --
Just where it leaves the dusty town
A lonely house stands grim and dark --
You've seen it? then I need not say
How quaint the place is -- did you mark
An ivied window? Well! one day,
I, chasing some forgotten dream,
And in a poet's idlest mood,
Caught, as I passed, a white hand's gleam --
A shutter opened -- there she stood
Training the ivy to its prop.
Two dark eyes and a brow of snow
Flashed down upon me -- did I stop? --
She says I did -- I do not know.
But all that day did something glow
Just where the heart beats; frail and slight,
A germ had slipped its shell, and now
Was pushing softly for the light.
And April saw me at her feet,
Dear month of sunshine and of rain!
My very fears were sometimes sweet,
And hope was often touched with pain.
For she was frank, and she was coy,
A willful April in her ways;
And in a dream of doubtful joy
I passed some truly April days.
May came, and on that arch, sweet mouth,
The smile was graver in its play,
And, softening with the softening South,
My April melted into May.
She loved me, yet my heart would doubt,
And ere I spoke the month was June --
One warm still night we wandered out
To watch a slowly setting moon.
Something which I saw not -- my eyes
Were not on heaven -- a star, perchance,
Or some bright drapery of the skies,
Had caught her earnest, upper glance.
And as she paused -- Hal! we have played
Upon the very spot -- a fir
Just touched me with its dreamy shade,
But the full moonlight fell on her --
And as she paused -- I know not why --
I longed to speak, yet could not speak;
The bashful are the boldest -- I --
I stooped and gently kissed her cheek.
A murmur (else some fragrant air
Stirred softly) and the faintest start --
O Hal! we were the happiest pair!
O Hal! I clasped her heart to heart!
And kissed away some tears that gushed;
But how she trembled, timid dove,
When my soul broke its silence, flushed
With a whole burning June of love.
Since then a happy year hath sped
Through months that seemed all June and May,
And soon a March sun, overhead,
Will usher in the crowning day.
Twelve blessed moons that seemed to glow
All summer, Hal! -- my peerless Kate!
She is the dearest -- "Angel?" -- no!
Thank God! -- but you shall see her -- wait.
So all is told! I count on thee
To see the Priest, Hal! Pass the wine!
Here's to my darling wife to be!
And here's to -- when thou find'st her -- thine!
Scheme | ABAB CDCD EXEX FGFG GHXH IJIJ KLKL MDMD NONO PQPQ RSRS TUTU VWVW XYXY ZDZD G1 G1 2 3 2 3 |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (94%) |
Metre | 11010101 1101111 101101001 11110101 01011101 11111111 11011111 1110111 11010101 0001011 11110111 01010111 10010111 11100111 11011111 11111111 11111101 11011101 01111101 11010101 01011101 1111011 11010011 01110111 11110111 01010001 00011101 11110101 11011111 01110011 0100101001 11010011 11111111 01110111 11111101 11010101 10111111 011100101 111100101 11010101 01111111 01010101 11111101 1011110 01111111 11111111 01010101 11010101 01011101 11000101 111001001 11110111 01011111 11110101 11111101 10110111 11010111 11111101 01011101 11000101 1111111 11011101 11010101 11111101 11111111 11011101 11110111 011111101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 2,435 |
Words | 501 |
Sentences | 34 |
Stanzas | 17 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 68 |
Letters per line (avg) | 27 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 109 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 29 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 2:32 min read
- 52 Views
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"A Year's Courtship" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/18215/a-year%27s-courtship>.
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