Analysis of The Caffer

Thomas Pringle 1789 (Blakelaw) – 1834



Lo! where he crouches by the cleugh's dark side,
Eyeing the farmer's lowing herds afar;
Impatient watching till the Evening Star
Lead forth the Twilight dim, that he may glide
Like panther to the prey. With freeborn pride
He scorns the herdsman, nor regards the scar
Of recent wound -- but burnishes for war
His assagai and targe of buffalo-hide.
He is a Robber? -- True; it is a strife
Between the black-skinned bandit and the white.
A Savage? -- Yes; though loth to aim at life,
Evil for evil fierce he doth requite.
A Heathen? -- Teach him, then, thy better creed,
Christian! if thou deserv'st that name indeed.


Scheme ABBAABCADEDAFF
Poetic Form
Metre 111110111 1001010101 0101010101 110111111 1101011101 110110101 11011111 11011101 1101011101 0101110001 0101111111 101101111 0101111101 101111101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 615
Words 112
Sentences 11
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 472
Words per stanza (avg) 110
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
87

Thomas Pringle

Thomas Pringle was a Scottish writer, poet and abolitionist. Known as the father of South African poetry, he was the first successful English language poet and author to describe South Africa's scenery, native peoples, and living conditions. more…

All Thomas Pringle poems | Thomas Pringle Books

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