Analysis of Weight On A Miracle
John Jessup Kennan 1953 (Pomona)
I saw Santa in a '53 Chevy
Driving reindeer out in the wind
There were lesser burdens to carry
They were all short beds back then
And he had this look on his face
Windshield wipers were slappin
There must be something bigger than this
Like he was waiting for a miracle to happen
Rusty gear shift, Jesus on a cross
Hangin' from the rearview on a chain
Grindin' through streets in a 3-speed
Holdin' up traffic out in the rain
He's got places to do, people to be
Seas to part on his mission there
He's got serious business and vision
At the end of a thousand yard stare
And we all stare right along with him
Seeking visions in sparkly wrapping
A billion eyes stare from a thousand yards
Waiting for the miracle to happen
He just wants to get it over with
Sometimes the friendly skies go dark
Saint Someone chained 'round his neck like a noose
Hotboxin' a Camel like it's Joan of Arc
Wet roads forage like shiny black
vipers
On cold wet icy December days
I knew it was Santa when I saw him
His Santa hat gave him away
Three days gray growth and bloodshot eyes
Didn't really look so full of cheer
Squinting from smoke rising up mumbling
Epithets and Christmas songs under his beard
But he'll complete appointed rounds
In his bright red plaid flannel shirt
To those thousand yards and their graven stares
Ashes to ashes, dirt to dirt
And we all stare right along with him
Seeking visions in sparkly wrapping
A billion eyes stare from a thousand yards
Waiting for the miracle to happen
So if you're out there lookin' for Santa
On a jolly and jovial holiday
Bringing a miracle just for you with
Flying reindeer and a 3-speed sleigh
When laughter echoes cold as fireplace ash
Are all that is left of your miracle day
Don't be discouraged if Santa flies by
And doesn't bring tidings of toys your way
We wait for the miracle coming
Lights and bells on a magical sleigh
A junkyard Chevy with Saint Someone
Away in a short bed asleep in the hay
As life its own Self slides by like a sled
Hidden in brown-paper wrapping
Each and every unordinary
Miracle is already happening
A thousand yard stare will get you nowhere
You're the miracle, go out there and happen
© John Kennan 12-24-19
Scheme | axabxbxc xdxdaece FGHC ijxjxxxfk xxgxxlxl FGHC xkikxkxk gkckxgeg ec c |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Etheree (22%) |
Metre | 11100010 1011001 101010110 1011111 01111111 11001 111101011 1111010100110 101110101 11010101 111001 11101001 1110111011 11111101 1110010010 101101011 011110111 101001010 0101110101 1010100110 111111101 01010111 111111101 101011111 11101101 10 111100101 1111101111 11011101 1111011 101011111 1011101100 1001011011 11010101 01111101 1110101101 10110111 011110111 101001010 0101110101 1010100110 111111110 1010010010 1001001111 1010011 1101011101 11111111001 1101011011 0101101111 111010010 101101001 0110111 01001101001 1111111101 10011010 101001 1001010100 010111111 10100111010 110 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 2,115 |
Words | 404 |
Sentences | 1 |
Stanzas | 10 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 4, 9, 8, 4, 8, 8, 2, 1 |
Lines Amount | 60 |
Letters per line (avg) | 29 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 174 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 40 |
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"Weight On A Miracle" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/100827/weight-on-a-miracle>.
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