Analysis of A Golden Day

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



The subtle beauty of this day
Hangs o'er me like a fairy spell,
And care and grief have flown away,
And every breeze sings, "all is well."
I ask, "Holds earth or sin, or woe?"
My heart replies, "I do not know."

Nay! all we know, or feel, my heart,
Today is joy undimmed, complete;
In tears or pain we have no part;
The act of breathing is so sweet,
We care no higher joy to name.
What reck we now of wealth or fame?

The past--what matters it to me?
The pain it gave has passed away.
The future--that I cannot see!
I care for nothing save today--
This is a respite from all care,
And trouble flies--I know not where.

Go on, oh noisy, restless life!
Pass by, oh, feet that seek for heights!
I have no part in aught of strife;
I do not want your vain delights.
The day wraps round me like a spell
And every breeze sings, "All is well."


Scheme abaBcc dedeff gagahh ijijbB
Poetic Form
Metre 01010111 110110101 01011101 010011111 11111111 11011111 11111111 0111101 01111111 01110111 11110111 11111111 01110111 01111101 01011101 11110101 11010111 01011111 11110101 11111111 11110111 11111101 01111101 010011111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 837
Words 172
Sentences 15
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 154
Words per stanza (avg) 42
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 27, 2023

50 sec read
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Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. more…

All Ella Wheeler Wilcox poems | Ella Wheeler Wilcox Books

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