Analysis of Cramped in That Funnelled Hole

Wilfred Owen 1893 (Oswestry) – 1918 (Sambre–Oise Canal)



Cramped in that funnelled hole, they watched the dawn
Open a jagged rim around; a yawn
Of death's jaws, which had all but swallowed them
Stuck in the bottom of his throat of phlegm.

They were in one of many mouths of Hell
Not seen of seers in visions, only felt
As teeth of traps; when bones and the dead are smelt
Under the mud where long ago they fell
Mixed with the sour sharp odour of the shell.


Scheme AABB CDDCC
Poetic Form
Metre 101111101 100110101 1111111101 1001011111 1001110111 1111010101 11111100111 1001110111 1101011101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 399
Words 81
Sentences 3
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 4, 5
Lines Amount 9
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 157
Words per stanza (avg) 40
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 27, 2023

24 sec read
511

Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War. more…

All Wilfred Owen poems | Wilfred Owen Books

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