Analysis of The Legacy
John Donne 1572 (London) – 1631 (London)
When I died last, and, Dear, I die
As often as from thee I go,
Though it be but an hour ago,
And Lovers' hours be full eternity,
I can remember yet, that I
Something did say, and something did bestow;
Though I be dead, which sent me, I should be
Mine own executor and legacy.
I heard me say, "Tell her anon,
That myself, that is you, not I,
Did kill me," and when I felt me die,
I bid me send my heart, when I was gone,
But alas could there find none,
When I had ripp'd me, and search'd where hearts should lie;
It kill'd me again, that I who still was true,
In life, in my last will should cozen you.
Yet I found something like a heart,
But colors it, and corners had,
It was not good, it was not bad,
It was intire to none, and few had part.
As good as could be made by art
It seem'd, and therefore for our losses sad,
I meant to send this heart in stead of mine,
But oh, no man could hold it, for 'twas thine.
Scheme | ABBCABCC DAADDAEE FGGFFGDD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 11110111 11011111 111111001 01010110100 11010111 1011010101 1111111111 1101000100 1111101 1111111 111011111 1111111111 1011111 11111011111 11101111111 010111111 11110101 11010101 11111111 111110111 11111111 1101110101 1111110111 1111111111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 897 |
Words | 194 |
Sentences | 5 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 24 |
Letters per line (avg) | 28 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 224 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 64 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 29, 2023
- 59 sec read
- 239 Views
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"The Legacy" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/22601/the-legacy>.
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