Analysis of A New Year’s Gift For Bec

Jonathan Swift 1667 (Dublin) – 1745 (Ireland)



Returning Janus now prepares,
For Bec, a new supply of cares,
Sent in a bag to Dr. Swift,
Who thus displays the new-year's gift.
First, this large parcel brings you tidings
Of our good Dean's eternal chidings;
Of Nelly's pertness, Robin's leasings,
And Sheridan's perpetual teazings.
This box is cramm'd on every side
With Stella's magisterial pride.
Behold a cage with sparrows fill'd,
First to be fondled, then be kill'd.
Now to this hamper I invite you,
With six imagined cares to fright you.
Here in this bundle Janus sends
Concerns by thousands for your friends.
And here's a pair of leathern pokes,
To hold your cares for other folks.
Here from this barrel you may broach
A peck of troubles for a coach.
This ball of wax your ears will darken,
Still to be curious, never hearken.
Lest you the town may have less trouble in
Bring all your Quilca's cares to Dublin,
For which he sends this empty sack;
And so take all upon your back.


Scheme AABBCAAADDEEFFGGHHIIJJKKLL
Poetic Form
Metre 01010101 11010111 1001111 11010111 111101110 110110101 111101 0101001 111111001 11001001 01011101 11110111 111101011 110101111 10110101 01110111 0101111 11111101 11110111 01110101 111111110 111100101 1101111100 11111110 11111101 01110111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 920
Words 170
Sentences 12
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 26
Lines Amount 26
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 731
Words per stanza (avg) 168
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 21, 2023

54 sec read
49

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer, poet and cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. more…

All Jonathan Swift poems | Jonathan Swift Books

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