Analysis of Russell Kincaid

Edgar Lee Masters 1868 (Garnett) – 1950 (Elkins Park)



In the last spring I ever knew,
In those last days,
I sat in the forsaken orchard
Where beyond fields of greenery shimmered
The hills at Miller's Ford;
Just to muse on the apple tree
With its ruined trunk and blasted branches,
And shoots of green whose delicate blossoms
Were sprinkled over the skeleton tangle,
Never to grow in fruit.
And there was I with my spirit girded
By the flesh half dead, the senses numb
Yet thinking of youth and the earth in youth, --
Such phantom blossoms palely shining
Over the lifeless boughs of Time.
O earth that leaves us ere heaven takes us!
Had I been only a tree to shiver
With dreams of spring and a leafy youth,
Then I had fallen in the cyclone
Which swept me out of the soul's suspense
Where it's neither earth nor heaven.


Scheme ABCCDEFGHICJKLMNOKPQR
Poetic Form
Metre 00111101 0111 110001010 1011110010 011101 11110101 1110101010 0111110010 01010010010 101101 011111101 101110101 1101100101 11010110 10010111 1111111011 1111001110 111100101 111100001 111110101 11101110
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 751
Words 145
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 21
Lines Amount 21
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 604
Words per stanza (avg) 143
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

44 sec read
40

Edgar Lee Masters

Edgar Lee Masters was an American poet, biographer, and dramatist. more…

All Edgar Lee Masters poems | Edgar Lee Masters Books

2 fans

Discuss this Edgar Lee Masters poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Russell Kincaid" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/8705/russell-kincaid>.

    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!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    14
    hours
    1
    minute

    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 "Dreams"?
    A Langston Hughes
    B Gerard Manley Hopkins
    C John Donne
    D Thomas Hardy