Analysis of Dedication

Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 (Edinburgh) – 1894 (Vailima, Samoa)



MY first gift and my last, to you
I dedicate this fascicle of songs -
The only wealth I have:
Just as they are, to you.

I speak the truth in soberness, and say
I had rather bring a light to your clear eyes,
Had rather hear you praise
This bosomful of songs

Than that the whole, hard world with one consent,
In one continuous chorus of applause
Poured forth for me and mine
The homage of ripe praise.

I write the finis here against my love,
This is my love's last epitaph and tomb.
Here the road forks, and I
Go my way, far from yours.


Scheme ABXA XXCB XXXC XXXX
Poetic Form
Metre 11101111 1101111 010111 111111 11010101 11101011111 110111 1111 1101111101 01010010101 111101 010111 110110111 111111001 101101 111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 527
Words 109
Sentences 5
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 103
Words per stanza (avg) 27
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 10, 2023

33 sec read
124

Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. more…

All Robert Louis Stevenson poems | Robert Louis Stevenson Books

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