Analysis of Impatience

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



How can I wait until you come to me?
 The once fleet mornings linger by the way;
Their sunny smiles touched with malicious glee
 At my unrest, they seem to pause, and play
 Like truant children, while I sigh and say,
  How can I wait?

How can I wait? Of old, the rapid hours
 Refused to pause or loiter with me long;
But now they idly fill their hands with flowers,
 And make no haste, but slowly stroll among
 The summer blooms, not heeding my one song,
  How can I wait?

How can I wait? The nights alone are kind;
 They reach forth to a future day, and bring
Sweet dreams of you to people all my mind;
 And time speeds by on light and airy wing.
 I feast upon your face, I no more sing,
  How can I wait?

How can I wait? The morning breaks the spell
 A pitying night has flung upon my soul.
You are not near me, and I know full well
 My heart has need of patience and control;
 Before we meet, hours, days, and weeks must roll,
  How can I wait?

How can I wait? Oh, Love, how can I wait
 Until the sunlight f your eyes shall shine
Upon my world that seems so desolate?
 Until your hand-clasp warms my blood like wine;
 Until you come again, oh, Love of mine,
  How can I wait?


Scheme ababbC dedxeC fgfggC hihiiC cjxjjC
Poetic Form Tetractys  (27%)
Etheree  (23%)
Metre 1111011111 0111010101 1101110101 1101111101 1101011101 1111 11111101010 0111110111 11110111110 0111110101 0101110111 1111 1111010111 1111010101 1111110111 0111110101 1101111111 1111 1111010101 01001110111 1111101111 1111110001 01111010111 1111 1111111111 010111111 0111111100 0111111111 0111011111 1111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,175
Words 235
Sentences 14
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 176
Words per stanza (avg) 47
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 19, 2023

1:10 min read
55

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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