Analysis of Zion

Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)



The Doorkeepers of Zion,
  They do not always stand
In helmet and whole armour,
  With halberds in their hand;
But, being sure of Zion,
  And all her mysteries,
They rest awhile in Zion,
Sit down and smile in Zion;
Ay, even jest in Zion;
  In Zion, at their ease.

The Gatekeepers of Baal,
  They dare not sit or lean,
But fume and fret and posture
  And foam and curse between;
For being bound to Baal,
  Whose sacrifice is vain,
Their rest is scant with Baal,
They glare and pant for Baal,
They mouth and rant for Baal,
  For Baal in their pain!

But we will go to Zion,
  By choice and not through dread,
With these our present comrades
  And those our present dead;
And, being free of Zion
  In both her fellowships,
Sit down and sup in Zion --
Stand up and drink in Zion
Whatever cup in Zion
  Is offered to our lips!


Scheme ABCBADAAAD EFCFEGEEEG AHXHAIAAAI
Poetic Form Etheree  (40%)
Metre 01110 11111 0100110 11011 1101110 010100 1101010 1101010 1101010 010111 01011 111111 1101010 010101 110111 11011 111111 110111 110111 11011 1111110 110111 1110101 0110101 0101110 01010 1101010 1101010 101010 1101101
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 799
Words 157
Sentences 4
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 10, 10, 10
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 20
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 204
Words per stanza (avg) 52
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

47 sec read
303

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist chiefly remembered for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India and his tales for children. more…

All Rudyard Kipling poems | Rudyard Kipling Books

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