Analysis of Recessional (A Victorian Ode)
Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)
God of our fathers, known of old --
Lord of our far-flung battle line --
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine --
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!
The tumult and the shouting dies --
The Captains and the Kings depart --
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!
Far-called our navies melt away --
On dune and headland sinks the fire --
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe --
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law --
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget -- lest we forget!
For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard --
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard.
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Amen.
Scheme | ababCC xdxdCC exexcC fxfxCC ghghxxx |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111010111 111011101 01110111 01010101 11111111 11011101 01000101 01000101 1111010 11000011 11111111 11011101 111010101 11011010 11101110 11110001 11010111 11011101 111111011 11111101 111011 11010101 11111111 11011101 11011101 01010101 11011111 01011111 11010101 11011101 01 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,113 |
Words | 212 |
Sentences | 10 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6, 6, 7 |
Lines Amount | 31 |
Letters per line (avg) | 26 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 160 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 42 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 07, 2023
- 1:03 min read
- 115 Views
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