Analysis of To Dan
Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872 (Dayton) – 1906
STEP me now a bridal measure,
Work give way to love and leisure,
Hearts be free and hearts be gay --
Doctor Dan doth wed to-day.
Diagnosis, cease your squalling --
Check that scalpel's senseless bawling,
Put that ugly knife away --
Doctor Dan doth wed to-day.
'Tis no time for things unsightly,
Life's the day and life goes lightly;
Science lays aside her sway--
Love rules Dr. Dan to-day.
Gather, gentlemen and ladies,
For the nuptial feast now made is,
Swing your garlands, chant your lay
For the pair who wed to-day.
Wish them happy days and many,
Troubles few and griefs not any,
Lift your brimming cups and say
God bless them who wed to-day.
Then a cup to Cupid daring,
Who for conquest ever faring,
With his arrows dares assail
E'en a doctor's coat of mail.
So with blithe and happy hymning
And with harmless goblets brimming,
Dance a step -- musicians play --
Doctor Dan doth wed to-day.
Scheme | aabB bbbB ccbb xxbb ccbb dxee bdbB |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (71%) |
Metre | 11101010 11111010 1110111 1011111 010111 111101 1110101 1011111 11111010 10101110 1010101 111111 10100010 10101111 111111 1011111 11101010 10101110 1110101 1111111 10111010 11101010 1110101 11010111 1110101 0110110 1010101 1011111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 896 |
Words | 164 |
Sentences | 9 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 28 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 98 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 23 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 50 sec read
- 92 Views
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"To Dan" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/28977/to-dan>.
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