On A Bird

Gavril Romanovich Derzhavin 1743 (Kazan Governorate) – 1816 (Zvanka manor, Novgorod Governorate)



A sweet-voiced bird's been caught.
They squeeze it in a vice-like grip.
The poor thing squeaks and warbles not
But they insist: "O, birdie, sing!"

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

8 sec read
70

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAC
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 151
Words 28
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 4

Gavril Romanovich Derzhavin

Gavriil (Gavrila) Romanovich Derzhavin (Russian: Гаврии́л (Гаври́ла) Рома́нович Держа́вин) was one of the most highly esteemed Russian poets before Alexander Pushkin, as well as a statesman. Although his works are traditionally considered literary classicism, his best verse is rich with antitheses and conflicting sounds in a way reminiscent of John Donne and other metaphysical poets. more…

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