Analysis of A Lazy Day

Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872 (Dayton) – 1906



THE trees bend down along the stream,
Where anchored swings my tiny boat.
The day is one to drowse and dream
And list the thrush's throttling note.
When music from his bosom bleeds
Among the river's rustling reeds.
No ripple stirs the placid pool,
When my adventurous line is cast,
A truce to sport, while clear and cool,
The mirrored clouds slide softly past.
The sky gives back a blue divine,
And all the world's wide wealth is mine.
A pickerel leaps, a bow of light,
The minnows shine from side to side.
The first faint breeze comes up the tide —
I pause with half uplifted oar,
While night drifts down to claim the shore.


Scheme ABABCCDEDEFFGHHII
Poetic Form
Metre 01110101 11011101 01111101 01011001 11011101 01010101 11010101 110100111 01111101 01011101 01110101 01011111 010010111 01011111 01111101 11111001 11111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 620
Words 118
Sentences 8
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 17
Lines Amount 17
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 490
Words per stanza (avg) 116
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 20, 2023

36 sec read
142

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar was a seminal American poet of the late 19th and early 20th centuries Dunbar gained national recognition for his 1896 Lyrics of a Lowly Life one poem in the collection being Ode to Ethiopia more…

All Paul Laurence Dunbar poems | Paul Laurence Dunbar Books

7 fans

Discuss this Paul Laurence Dunbar poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "A Lazy Day" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/28613/a-lazy-day>.

    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.
    1
    day
    16
    hours
    50
    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 word "poetry" is from the Greek term "poiesis", which means?
    A Saying
    B Writing
    C Making
    D Reading