Analysis of The Orphan Boy's Tale
Amelia Opie 1769 (Norwich, England) – 1853 (Norwich, England)
Stay, lady, stay, for mercy's sake,
And hear a helpless orphan's tale,
Ah! sure my looks must pity wake,
'Tis want that makes my cheek so pale.
Yet I was once a mother's pride,
And my brave father's hope and joy,
But in the Nile's proud fight he died,
And I am now an orphan boy.
Poor foolish child! how pleased was I,
When news of Nelson's victory came,
Along the crowded streets to fly,
And see the lighted windows flame!
To force me home my mother sought,
She could not bear to see my joy;
For with my father's life 'twas bought,
And made me a poor orphan boy.
The people's shouts were long and loud,
My mother, shuddering, clos'd her ears;
'Rejoice! rejoice!' still cried the crowd;
My mother answered with her tears.
'Why are you crying thus,' said I,
'While others laugh and shout for joy?'
She kiss'd me -- and with such a sigh!
She called me her poor orphan boy.
'What is an orphan boy?' I cried,
As in her face I look'd and smil'd;
My mother through her tears replied,
'You'll know too soon, ill-fated child!'
And now they've toll'd my mother's knell,
And I'm no more a parent's joy;
O lady, -- I have learnt too well
What 'tis to be an orphan boy.
Oh! were I by your bounty fed!
Nay, gentle lady, do not chide,--
Trust me, I mean to earn my bread;
The sailor's orphan boy has pride.
Lady, you weep! -- ha? -- this to me?
You'll give me clothing, food, employ
Look down, dear parents! look and see
Your happy, happy orphan boy!
Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF XDXD GXGX EDED CHCH IDID JCJC KDKD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (90%) Etheree (30%) Tetractys (20%) |
Metre | 1101111 0101011 11111101 11111111 11110101 01110101 10011111 01111101 11011111 111101001 01010111 01010101 11111101 11111111 11110111 01101101 01010101 110100101 01011101 11010101 11110111 11010111 11101101 11101101 11110111 10011101 11010101 11111101 01111101 01110101 11011111 11111101 10111101 11010111 11111111 01010111 10111111 11110101 11110101 11010101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,407 |
Words | 283 |
Sentences | 24 |
Stanzas | 10 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 40 |
Letters per line (avg) | 26 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 106 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 28 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:29 min read
- 38 Views
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"The Orphan Boy's Tale" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/2073/the-orphan-boy%27s-tale>.
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