Analysis of A Hymn for Christmas Day
Thomas Chatterton 1752 (Bristol) – 1770 (Holborn)
Almighty Framer of the Skies!
O let our pure devotion rise,
Like Incense in thy Sight!
Wrapt in impenetrable Shade
The Texture of our Souls were made
Till thy Command gave light.
The Sun of Glory gleam'd the Ray,
Refin'd the Darkness into Day,
And bid the Vapours fly;
Impell'd by his eternal Love
He left his Palaces above
To cheer our gloomy Sky.
How shall we celebrate the day,
When God appeared in mortal clay,
The mark of worldly scorn;
When the Archangel's heavenly Lays,
Attempted the Redeemer's Praise
And hail'd Salvation's Morn!
A Humble Form the Godhead wore,
The Pains of Poverty he bore,
To gaudy Pomp unknown;
Tho' in a human walk he trod
Still was the Man Almighty God
In Glory all his own.
Despis'd, oppress'd, the Godhead bears
The Torments of this Vale of tears;
Nor bade his Vengeance rise;
He saw the Creatures he had made,
Revile his Power, his Peace invade;
He saw with Mercy's Eyes.
How shall we celebrate his Name,
Who groan'd beneath a Life of shame
In all Afflictions tried!
The Soul is raptured to concieve
A Truth, which Being must believe,
The God Eternal died.
My Soul exert thy Powers, adore,
Upon Devotion's plumage sar
To celebrate the Day;
The God from whom Creation sprung
Shall animate my grateful Tongue;
From him I'll catch the Lay!
Scheme | AABCCBDDEFFE DDGHHG IIJKKJ LLACCA MMNFXN IXDOOD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 01010101 111010101 101011 10010001 010110101 110111 01110101 01010011 01011 01110101 11110001 1110101 1111001 11010101 011101 1011001 010011 0111 0101011 01110011 110101 10010111 11010101 010111 0101011 0111111 111101 11010111 011101101 11111 1111011 11010111 010101 011111 01110101 010101 110111001 011101 11001 01110101 11001101 111101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,279 |
Words | 229 |
Sentences | 11 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 12, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 |
Lines Amount | 42 |
Letters per line (avg) | 24 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 166 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 38 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 23, 2023
- 1:12 min read
- 166 Views
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"A Hymn for Christmas Day" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/36194/a-hymn-for-christmas-day>.
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