Analysis of Time How Swift

John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)



While with ceaseless course the sun
Hasted through the former year,
Many souls their race have run,
Never more to meet us here;
Fixed in an eternal fate,
They have done with all below.
We a little longer wait,
But how little -- none can know.

As the winged arrow flies
Speedily the mark to find;
As the lightning from the skies
Darts, and leaves no trace behind,
Swiftly thus our fleeting days
Bear us down life's rapid stream.
Upward, Lord, our spirits raise;
All below is but a dream.

Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us, henceforth how to live
With eternity in view.
Bless Thy Word to young and old,
Fill us with a Saviour's love;
And when life's short tale is told,
May we dwell with Thee above.


Scheme AXAXBCBC DEDEFGFG XHXHIJIJ
Poetic Form
Metre 1110101 110101 1011111 1011111 1010101 1111101 1010101 1110111 101101 1000111 1010101 1011101 10110101 1111101 10110101 1011101 1110101 10110101 1111111 1010001 1111101 111011 0111111 1111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 718
Words 138
Sentences 7
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 189
Words per stanza (avg) 45
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

42 sec read
117

John Newton

Rev Dr John A Newton CBE is a prominent Methodist minister, author, historian and former President of the Methodist Conference. more…

All John Newton poems | John Newton Books

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