Analysis of To S. F. S.

George MacDonald 1824 (Huntly) – 1905 (Ashtead)



They say that lonely sorrows do not chance:
More gently, I think, sorrows together go;
A new one joins the funeral gliding slow
With less of jar than when it breaks the dance.
Grief swages grief, and joy doth joy enhance;
Nature is generous to her children so.
And were they quick to spy the flowers that blow,
As quick to feel the sharp-edged stones that lance
The foot that must walk naked in life's way,-
Blest by the roadside lily, free from fear,
Oftener than hurt by dash of flinty spear,
They would walk upright, bold, and earnest-gay;
And when the soft night closed the weary day,
Would sleep like those that far-off music hear.


Scheme ABBAABBACDDCCE
Poetic Form
Metre 1111010111 11011100101 01110100101 1111111101 111011101 10110010101 00111101011 1111011111 0111110011 110110111 10011111101 1110110101 0101110101 1111111101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 631
Words 119
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 36
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 498
Words per stanza (avg) 116
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
75

George MacDonald

George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister. more…

All George MacDonald poems | George MacDonald Books

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