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

Robert Burns

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. more…

All Robert Burns poems | Robert Burns Books

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