Analysis of Inscriptions: I: For A Grotto

Mark Akenside 1721 (Newcastle upon Tyne) – 1770



To me, whom in their lays the shepherds call
Actæa, daughter of the neighbouring stream,
This cave belongs. The fig-tree and the vine,
Which o'er the rocky entrance downward shoot,
Were plac'd by Glycon. He with cowslips pale,
Primrose, and purple lychnis, deck'd the green
Before my threshold, and my shelving walls
With honeysuckle cover'd. Here at noon,
Lull'd by the murmur of my rising fount,
I slumber: here my clustering fruits i tend;
Or from the humid flowers, at break of day,
Fresh garlands weave, and chace from all my bounds
Each thing impure or noxious. Enter-in,
O stranger, undismay'd. nor bat, nor toad
Here lurks: and if thy breast of blameless thoughts
Approve thee, not unwelcome shalt thou tread
My quiet mansion: chiefly, if thy name
Wise Pallas and the immortal muses own.


Scheme ABCDEFGHDIJKLMNOPQ
Poetic Form
Metre 1110110101 10101011 1101011001 11001010101 01111111 10101101 011101101 110010111 1101011101 11011100111 11010101111 111011111 1101110100 11011111 1101111101 0111010111 1101010111 11000010101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 787
Words 137
Sentences 7
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 18
Lines Amount 18
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 623
Words per stanza (avg) 135
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

42 sec read
47

Mark Akenside

Mark Akenside was an English poet and physician. more…

All Mark Akenside poems | Mark Akenside Books

0 fans

Discuss this Mark Akenside poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Inscriptions: I: For A Grotto" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/26490/inscriptions%3A-i%3A-for-a-grotto>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    7
    hours
    15
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    The long poem “The Waste Land” was written by which poet?
    A C. S Lewis
    B W. H. Auden
    C Emma Lazarus
    D T. S. Eliot