Analysis of Spells and Incantations

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



A vague pearl, a wan pearl
You showed me once; I peered through far-gone winters
Until my mind was fog-bound in that gem.

Blue diamonds, cold diamonds
You shook before me, so that out of them
Glittered and glowed vast diamond dawns of spring.

Tiger-eyed rubies, wrathful rubies
You rolled. I watched their hot hearts fling
Flames from each glaring summer of my life.

Quiet amber, mellow amber
You lifted; and behold the whole air rife
With evening, and the auburn autumn cloud.

But pale skin, your pearl skin
Show this to me, and I shall have surprise
Of every snow-lit dawn before it break.

But clear eyes, your fresh eyes
Open; that I may laugh, and lightly take
All air of early April in one hour.

But brown curls, O shadow me with curls,
Full of September mist, half-gleam, half-glower,
And I shall roam warm nights in lands far south.


Scheme XXA XAB XBC DCX XEF EFD XDX
Poetic Form
Metre 011011 11111111110 0111111011 110110 1101111111 1001110111 10110110 11111111 1111010111 10101010 1100010111 1100010101 111111 1111011101 11001110111 111111 1011110101 11110100110 11111111 11010111110 0111110111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 827
Words 153
Sentences 9
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Lines Amount 21
Letters per line (avg) 31
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 94
Words per stanza (avg) 22
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

45 sec read
103

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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