Analysis of Why a Picnic, Jane?
Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis 1876 (Auburn) – 1938 (Melbourne)
But, why a picnic, Jane? We went last year,
And missed the Cup; and you know how you grieved
Because we lost - Oh! yes, you did, my dear.
I had the tip, but I was not believed.
It's just sheer nonsense to deny it all.
And when he won, you said, if you recall,
You'd never miss a chance like that again.
Well, cut the Cup. But why a picnic, Jane?
You know how I hate picnics - sticky things
The grizzling children and the dusty road,
The flies and all those crawlywigs with stings
My dear, I'm not selfish! But that load
Of baskets - Eh? Back him at starting price?
That's an idea. And then I could remain
To take you and the children? - M'yes. Quite nice.
Jolly, of course. But, why a picnic, Jane?
Wait! Have you thought of burglars? There you are!
The empty house. Remember that last case
Near here? ... Bright thought, my dear! You take the car.
You've solved it. I'll stay at home and mind the place.
Lonely? Not I. You take the car, of course.
I've a good book; I'll be all right alone.
That's settled then ... And now, about the horse.
Wait here, and while I think of it, I'll phone.
'Lo! That you, Sam? All set! I can't talk loud.
'Lo! can you hear me? Listen, lad. It's on.
Tomorrow, yes. Count me in the crowd.
Your car - about eleven. They'll be gone.
Great stunt, that picnic! If we make the pace
We ought to get there for the second race.
Well, Jane, that's all fixed up. I've backed our horse.
Eh? Help cut sandwiches? Why, dear, of course.
Scheme | ABABCCXD EFEFGDGD HIHIJKJK LXLXIIJJ |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 110111111 0101011111 0111111111 1101111101 1111010111 011111111 1101011101 110111011 111111101 011000101 01011111 111110111 1101111101 11010011101 11100101111 101111011 1111110111 0101010111 1111111101 11111110101 1011110111 1011111101 1101010101 1101111111 1111111111 1111110111 01111001 1101010111 111111101 1111110101 11111111101 1111001111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,459 |
Words | 284 |
Sentences | 54 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 32 |
Letters per line (avg) | 33 |
Words per line (avg) | 10 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 265 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 78 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:30 min read
- 115 Views
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"Why a Picnic, Jane?" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/6824/why-a-picnic%2C-jane%3F>.
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