Analysis of Although no stupid scoffer
Alfred Austin 1835 (Leeds) – 1913 (Ashford)
Although no stupid scoffer, I
Am wholly at a loss
To apprehend the reason why
You kiss Lorenzo's Cross.
For though indeed a hundred days'
Indulgence thus you win,
There does not move a lip but says
That you did never sin.
Ha! but I did not read the whole.
I see it now; the gain
May be applied to any soul
In purgatorial pain.
And oh, how many spirits lie
In such sad bondage through
Having too often passed it by
Whilst gazing after you!
They longed, instead, your lips to kiss;
Their wish, though vain, was clear;
They fondly thought they would by this
Make sure of heaven here.
Indulgence each your lip acquires,
On them it doth bestow;
And you who lighted here their fires,
Do quench their flames below.
And so you soothe-'tis only fair-
The souls you lately vexed.
'Tis lucky you have grace to spare
For this world and-the next.
Scheme | ABAB XCXC DEDE AFAF GXGX HIHI JKJK |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (86%) |
Metre | 111011 110101 1010101 110101 11010101 010111 11110111 111101 11111101 111101 11011101 011 01110101 011101 10110111 110101 11011111 111111 11011111 111101 010111010 111101 011101110 111101 01111101 011101 11011111 111001 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 814 |
Words | 158 |
Sentences | 11 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 28 |
Letters per line (avg) | 23 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 93 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 22 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 48 sec read
- 80 Views
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