Analysis of The Holidays
Jane Taylor 1783 (London) – 1824
"Ah! don't you remember, 'tis almost December,
And soon will the holidays come;
Oh, 'twill be so funny, I've plenty of money,
I'll buy me a sword and a drum. "
Thus said little Harry, unwilling to tarry,
Impatient from school to depart;
But we shall discover, this holiday lover
Knew little what was in his heart.
For when on returning, he gave up his learning,
Away from his sums and his books,
Though playthings surrounded, and sweetmeats abounded,
Chagrin still appear'd in his looks.
Though first they delighted, his toys were now slighted,
And thrown away out of his sight;
He spent every morning in stretching and yawning,
Yet went to bed weary at night.
He had not that treasure which really makes pleasure,
(A secret discover'd by few).
You'll take it for granted, more playthings he wanted;
Oh naught was something to do.
We must have employment to give us enjoyment
And pass the time cheerfully away;
And study and reading give pleasure, exceeding
The pleasures of toys and of play.
To school now returningto study and learning
With eagerness Harry applied;
He felt no aversion to books or exertion,
Nor yet for the holidays sigh'd.
Scheme | ABCB CDAD EFGF GHEH AIXI XJEJ EKXK |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain |
Metre | 11101011010 0110101 111110110110 11101001 111010010110 01011101 11101011010 11011011 111010111110 01111011 1101001010 01101011 111010110110 01011111 1110010010010 11111011 111110110110 01001011 11111011110 1111011 111010111010 010110001 010010110010 01011011 111010110010 11001001 111010111010 1110101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,140 |
Words | 200 |
Sentences | 10 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 28 |
Letters per line (avg) | 32 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 128 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 28 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 03, 2023
- 1:01 min read
- 323 Views
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"The Holidays" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/21239/the-holidays>.
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