Analysis of The Song at Cock-Crow
Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)
1918 -- Ille autem iterum negavit.
The first time that Peter denied his Lord
He shrank from the cudgel, the scourge and the cord,
But followed far off to see what they would do,
Till the cock crew--till the cock crew--
After Gethsemane, till the cock crew!
The first time that Peter denied his Lord
'Twas only a maid in the palace who heard,
As he sat by the fire and warmed himself through.
Then the cock crew! Then the cock crew!
("Though also art one of them.") Then the cock crew!
The first time that Peter denied his Lord
He had neither the Throne, nor the Keys nor the Sword--
A poor silly fisherman, what could he do,
When the cock crew--when the cock crew--
But weep for his wickedness when the cock crew?
. . . . . .
The next time that Peter denied his Lord
He was Fisher of Men, as foretold by the Word,
With the Crown on his brow and the Cross on his shoe,
When the cock crew--when the cock crew--
In Flanders and Picardy when the cock crew!
The next time that Peter denied his Lord
'Twas Mary the Mother in Heaven Who heard,
She grieved for the maidens and wives that they slew
When the cock crew--when the cock crew--
At Tirmonde and Aerschott when the cock crew!
The next time that Peter denied his Lord
The Babe in the Manger awakened and stirred,
And He stretched out His arms for the playmates
He knew--
When the cock crew--when the cock crew--
But the waters had covered them when the cock crew!
The next time that Peter denied his Lord
'Twas Earth in her agony waited his word,
But he sat by the fire and naught would he do,
Though the cock crew--though the cock crew--
Over all Christendom, though the cock crew!
The last time that Peter denied his Lord,
The Father took from him the Keys and the Sword,
And the Mother and Babe brake his Kingdom in two,
When the cock crew--when the cock crew--
(Because of his wickedness) when the cock crew!
| Scheme | a Aaabb Aabbb AaaBb AabBb AabBb AaxbBb Aaabb aabBb |
|---|---|
| Poetic Form | |
| Metre | 1111 0111100111 11101001001 11011111111 10111011 1011011 0111100111 11001001011 111101001011 10111011 11011111011 0111100111 111001101101 0110101111 10111011 11111001011 1 0111100111 111011101101 101111001111 10111011 010011011 0111100111 11001001011 11101001111 10111011 11011011 0111100111 01001001001 011111101 11 10111011 101011011011 0111100111 11001001011 111101001111 10111011 1011001011 0111100111 01011101001 001001111001 10111011 01111001011 |
| Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
| Characters | 1,828 |
| Words | 352 |
| Sentences | 20 |
| Stanzas | 9 |
| Stanza Lengths | 1, 5, 5, 6, 5, 5, 6, 5, 5 |
| Lines Amount | 43 |
| Letters per line (avg) | 33 |
| Words per line (avg) | 8 |
| Letters per stanza (avg) | 159 |
| Words per stanza (avg) | 39 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 13, 2023
- 1:46 min read
- 82 Views
.jpg/225px-Rudyard_Kipling_(portrait).jpg)
33 fans
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"The Song at Cock-Crow" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/33566/the-song-at-cock-crow>.
Powered by CITE.ME
Discuss this Rudyard Kipling poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In