Analysis of Olney Hymn 52: For The Poor

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



When Hagar found the bottle spent
And wept o'er Ishmael,
A message from the Lord was sent
To guide her to a well.

Should not Elijah's cake and cruse
Convince us at this day,
A gracious God will not refuse
Provisions by the way?

His saints and servants shall be fed,
The promise is secure;
'Bread shall be given them,' as He said,
'Their water shall be sure.'

Repasts far richer they shall prove,
Than all earth's dainties are;
'Tis sweet to taste a Saviour's love,
Though in the meanest fare.

To Jesus then your trouble bring,
Nor murmur at your lot;
While you are poor and He is King,
You shall not be forgot.


Scheme AXAX BCBC DEDE XXXX FGFG
Poetic Form Quatrain  (60%)
Etheree  (30%)
Metre 11010101 011010 01010111 110101 111101 011111 01011101 010101 11010111 010101 111101111 110111 1110111 11111 1111011 100101 11011101 110111 11110111 111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 618
Words 119
Sentences 6
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 94
Words per stanza (avg) 23
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
48

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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