Analysis of The Willow
James Whitcomb Riley 1849 (Greenfield) – 1916 (Indianapolis)
Who shall sing a simple ditty about the Willow,
Dainty-fine and delicate as any bending spray
That dandles high the dainty bird that flutters there to trill a
Tremulously tender song of greeting to the May.
Bravest, too, of all the trees! -- none to match your daring,--
First of greens to greet the Spring and lead in leafy sheen;--
Aye, and you're the last -- almost into winter wearing
Still the leaf of loyalty -- still the badge of green.
Ah, my lovely willow! --let the waters lilt your graces,--
They alone with limped kisses lave your leaves above,
Flashing back your silvan beauty, and in shady places
Peering up with glimmering pebbles, like the eyes of love.
Scheme | XAXA BCBC XDXD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain |
Metre | 111010100101 1010100110101 11101011101110 1000101110101 1011101111110 1111101010101 101011011010 101110010111 1110110101110 101111011101 1011110001010 10111001010111 |
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 675 |
Words | 124 |
Sentences | 6 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 12 |
Letters per line (avg) | 43 |
Words per line (avg) | 10 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 173 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 40 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 37 sec read
- 91 Views
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"The Willow" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/21136/the-willow>.
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