Analysis of How at Once

Edward Thomas 1878 (London Borough of Lambeth) – 1917 (Pas-de-Calais)



How at once should I know,
When stretched in the harvest blue
I saw the swift's black bow,
That I would not have that view
Another day
Until next May
Again it is due?

The same year after year -
But with the swift alone.
With other things I but fear
That they will be over and done
Suddenly
And I only see
Them to know them gone.


Scheme XAXABBA CXCXDDX
Poetic Form
Metre 111111 1100101 110111 1111111 0101 0111 01111 011101 110101 1101111 11111001 100 01101 11111
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 323
Words 70
Sentences 4
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 7, 7
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 18
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 127
Words per stanza (avg) 34
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

21 sec read
78

Edward Thomas

Philip Edward Thomas was an Anglo-Welsh poet and essayist. more…

All Edward Thomas poems | Edward Thomas Books

2 fans

Discuss this Edward Thomas poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "How at Once" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/9853/how-at-once>.

    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.
    30
    days
    2
    hours
    56
    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?

    »
    "It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea."
    A W.B. Yeats
    B Edmund Spenser
    C Shel Silverstein
    D Edgar Allan Poe