Analysis of On A Bank Of Flowers
Robert Burns 1759 (Alloway) – 1796 (Dumfries)
On a bank of flowers in a summer day
For summer lightly drest,
The youthful, blooming Nelly lay,
With love and sleep opprest;
When Willie, wand'ring thro the wood
Who for her favour oft had suedÑ
He gaz'd, he wish'd He fear'd, he blush'd
And trembled where he stood.
Her closèd eyes, like weapons sheath'd,
Were sealed in soft repose;
Her lips, still as she fragrant breath'd,
It richer dyed the rose.
The springing lilies, sweetly Crest,
Wild-wanton kissed her rival breast:
He gaz'd, he wish'd, He fear'd he blush'd
His bosom ill at rest.
Her robes, light-waving in the breeze,
Her tender limbs embrace;
Her lovely form, her native ease,
All harmony and grace.
Tumultuous tides his pulses roll,
A faltering, ardent kiss he stole;
He gaz'd, he wish'd, He fear'd, he blush'd,
And sigh'd his very soul.
As flies the partridge from the brake
On fear-inspired wings
So Nelly starting, half-awake
Away affrighted springs.
But Willie, follow'd---as he should
He overtook her in the wood;
He vow'd, he pray'd, He found the maid
Forgiving all, and good.
Scheme | aaaabxCb dedeffCf ghghiiCi jkjkbbxb |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 10111000101 110101 01010101 11011 11011101 1101111 11111111 010111 01111101 010101 01111101 110101 01010101 11010101 11111111 110111 01110001 010101 01010101 110001 10011101 010010111 11111111 011101 11010101 110101 11010101 0111 11010111 1010001 11111101 010101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,105 |
Words | 181 |
Sentences | 8 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 32 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 200 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 45 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 24, 2023
- 1:00 min read
- 335 Views
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