Analysis of Dogs
Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis 1876 (Auburn) – 1938 (Melbourne)
I've never met a man who hated dogs....
One meets with all sorts as through life he jogs
The mean ones, and the vain ones, and the rash,
The foolish fellows who splash up the cash.
The brisk 'live wires,' the dull, the sodden logs -
But I have ne'er met one who hated dogs.
(I think I'm fortunate in this, somehow,
For, if we ever met, there'd be a row).
Mayhap I'm prejudiced; mayhap I'm wise
To judge a fresh acquaintance by his eyes.
But show me one who has a dogs' straight look,
And I can read that fellow like a book.
I know him for a man who'd be a friend,
A mate, a sticker to the very end.
(He who can't comprehend this last remark
Is not worth one poor mongrel's joyous bark).
I left a dog up in the bush last week.
He was my one good pal, who'd never seek
To take advantage of my frailties
(And, heaven knows, I have enough of these).
He was my one good pal who trusted me,
And when the day of parting came, why, he -
(Well, maybe we had better draw the line,
I get so sloppy o'er this frined of mine).
But when I saw that look come in his eyes,
Well - you know what it is when your dog tries
To tell you things - Oh, I think it's all rot
To say a man could hate dogs. He could not.
Men surely are superior. Well, then?
Where could you find a dog who hates all men?
(My brothers, think this over, and reflect:
E'en curs hold qualities we may respect).
Scheme | AABBXA XX CCDDEE FF GGHHII JJ CCKKLL MM |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1101011101 1111111111 0110011001 0101011101 01110010101 1111111101 111100011 1111011101 11100111 1101010111 1111110111 0111110101 1111011101 0101010101 111011101 111111101 1101100111 1111111101 110101110 0101110111 1111111101 0101110111 1101110101 11110101111 1111111011 1111111111 1111111111 1101111111 1101010011 1111011111 1101110001 11111001101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,342 |
Words | 281 |
Sentences | 18 |
Stanzas | 8 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 2, 6, 2, 6, 2, 6, 2 |
Lines Amount | 32 |
Letters per line (avg) | 32 |
Words per line (avg) | 9 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 126 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 35 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 30, 2023
- 1:27 min read
- 209 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Dogs" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/6294/dogs>.
Discuss this Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In