Analysis of Frances Keeps Her Promise
Ann Taylor 1782 (Islington) – 1866
'MY Fanny, I have news to tell,
Your diligence quite pleases me;
You've work'd so neatly, read so well,
With cousin Jane you may take tea.
'But pray remember this, my love,
Although to stay you should incline,
And none but you should think to move,
I wish you to return at nine. '
With many thanks the attentive child
Assured mamma she would obey:
Whom tenderly she kiss'd, and smiled,
And with the maid then went away.
Arrived, the little girl was shown
To where she met the merry band;
And when her coming was made known,
All greet her with a welcome bland.
They dance, they play, and sweetly sing,
In every sport each one partakes;
And now the servants sweetmeats bring,
With wine and jellies, fruit and cakes.
Then comes papa, who says, 'My dears,
The magic lantern if you'd see,
And that which on the wall appears,
Leave off your play, and follow me.'
While Frances too enjoy'd the sight,
Where moving figures all combine
To raise her wonder and delight,
She hears, alas! the clock strike nine.
'Miss Fanny's maid for her is come.' –
'Oh dear, how soon!' the children cry;
They press, but Fanny will go home,
And bids her little friends good bye.
'See, dear mamma, I have not stay'd;'
'Good girl, indeed,' mamma replies,
'I knew you'd do as you had said,
And now you'll find you've won a prize.
'So come, my love, and see the man
Whom I desired at nine to call.'
Down stairs young Frances quickly ran,
And found him waiting in the hall.
'Here, Miss, are pretty birds to buy,
A parrot or macaw so gay;
A speckled dove with scarlet eye:
A linnet or a chattering jay.
'Would you a Java sparrow love?'
'No, no, I thank you,' said the child;
'I'll have a beauteous cooing dove,
So harmless, innocent, and mild. '
'Your choice, my Fanny, I commend,
Few birds can with the dove compare:
But lest it pine without a friend,
I give you leave to choose a pair.
Scheme | ABAB CDXD EFEF GHGH IJIJ JBJB KDKD XLXL XJXJ MNMN LFLF CECE OPOP |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (92%) |
Metre | 11011111 11001101 11110111 11011111 11010111 1111101 01111111 11110111 110100101 01101101 11001101 01011101 01010111 11110101 01010111 11010101 11110101 01001111 0101011 11010101 11101111 01010111 01110101 11110101 11010101 11010110 11010001 11010111 1111011 11110101 11110111 01010111 11101111 11011001 11111111 01111101 11110101 110101111 11110101 01110001 11110111 01010111 01011101 010101001 11010101 11111101 1101101 11010001 11110101 11110101 11110101 11111101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,849 |
Words | 356 |
Sentences | 19 |
Stanzas | 13 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 52 |
Letters per line (avg) | 27 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 107 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 27 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:47 min read
- 46 Views
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"Frances Keeps Her Promise" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/2937/frances-keeps-her-promise>.
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