Analysis of It Might Have Been
Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919
We will be what we could be. Do not say,
'It might have been, had not this, or that, or this.'
No fate can keep us from the chosen way;
He only might who is.
We will do what we could do. Do not dream
Chance leaves a hero, all uncrowned to grieve.
I hold, all men are greatly what they seem;
He does, who could achieve.
We will climb where we could climb. Tell me not
Of adverse storms that kept thee from the height.
What eagle ever missed the peak he sought?
He always climbs who might.
I do not like the phrase 'It might have been!'
It lacks force, and life's best truths perverts:
For I believe we have, and reach, and win,
Whatever our deserts.
Scheme | AXAX BCBC XDXD EFEF |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (75%) |
Metre | 1111111111 11111111111 1111110101 110111 1111111111 110101111 1111110111 111101 1111111111 1011111101 1101010111 11111 1111011111 111011110 1101110101 101010 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 656 |
Words | 133 |
Sentences | 13 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 16 |
Letters per line (avg) | 31 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 122 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 32 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 27, 2023
- 39 sec read
- 261 Views
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"It Might Have Been" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/10672/it-might-have-been>.
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