Analysis of Of a Woman, Dead Young

Dorothy Parker 1893 (Long Branch) – 1967 (New York City)



If she had been beautiful, even,
Or wiser than women about her,
Or had moved with a certain defiance;
If she had had sons at her sides,
And she with her hands on their shoulders,
Sons, to make troubled the Gods-
But where was there wonder in her?
What had she, better or eviler,
Whose days were a pattering of peas
From the pod to the bowl in her lap?

That the pine tree is blasted by lightning,
And the bowlder split raw from the mountain,
And the river dried short in its rushing-
That I can know, and be humble.
But that They who have trodden the stars
Should turn from Their echoing highway
To trample a daisy, unnoticed
In a meadow of small, open flowers-
Where is Their triumph in that?
Where is Their pride, and Their vengeance?


Scheme XABXCXAAXX DXDXXXXCXB
Poetic Form
Metre 111110010 110110010 1111010010 11111101 011011110 1111001 11111000 1111011 1100111 101101001 1011110110 001111010 0010110110 11110110 111111001 11111001 110010010 001111010 1111001 11110110
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 724
Words 142
Sentences 6
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 10, 10
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 287
Words per stanza (avg) 70
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

42 sec read
163

Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. more…

All Dorothy Parker poems | Dorothy Parker Books

3 fans

Discuss this Dorothy Parker poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Of a Woman, Dead Young" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 6 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/8193/of-a-woman%2C-dead-young>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    25
    days
    12
    hours
    29
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who wrote the poem “Funeral Blues"?
    A Victor Hugo
    B W. H. Auden
    C Pablo Neruda
    D Amy Clampitt