Analysis of Lady Probationer

William Ernest Henley 1849 (Gloucester) – 1903 (Woking)



Some three, or five, or seven, and thirty years;
A Roman nose; a dimpling double-chin;
Dark eyes and shy that, ignorant of sin,
Are yet acquainted, it would seem, with tears;
A comely shape; a slim, high-coloured hand,
Graced, rather oddly, with a signet ring;
A bashful air, becoming everything;
A well-bred silence always at command.
Her plain print gown, prim cap, and bright steel chain
Look out of place on her, and I remain
Absorbed in her, as in a pleasant mystery.
Quick, skilful, quiet, soft in speech and touch . . .
'Do you like nursing?' 'Yes, Sir, very much.'
Somehow, I rather think she has a history.


Scheme ABBCDEEDFFGHHG
Poetic Form
Metre 11111100101 010101101 1101110011 1101011111 0101011101 1101010101 010101010 011101101 0111110111 1111100101 010010010100 111010101 1111011101 11101110100
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 610
Words 111
Sentences 9
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 462
Words per stanza (avg) 110
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

32 sec read
29

William Ernest Henley

William Ernest Henley was an English poet, critic and editor, best remembered for his 1875 poem "Invictus". more…

All William Ernest Henley poems | William Ernest Henley Books

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