Analysis of The Lake of the Thousand Isles

Evan MacColl 1808 (Kenmore, Argyll and Bute) – 1898 (Kingston)



(For Music.)
   Though Missouri'stide may majestic glide,
    There's a curse on the soil it laves;
   The Ohio, too, may be fair, but who
    Would sojourn in the land of slaves?
   Be my prouder lot a Canadian cot
    And the bread of a freeman's toils;
   Then hurrah for the land of the forests grand,
    And the Lake of the Thousand Isles!
   I would seek no wealth, at the cost of health,
   'Mid the city's din and strife;
  More I love the grace of fair nature's face,
   And the calm of a woodland life;
  I would shun the road by ambition trod,
   And the lore which the heart defiles;--
  Then hurrah for the land of the forests grand,
   And the Lake of the Thousand Isles!

O away, away! I would gladly stray
   Where the freedom I love is found;
  Where the pine and oak by the woodman's stroke
   Are disturbed in their ancient bound;
  Where the gladsome swain reaps the golden grain,
   And the trout from the stream beguiles;
  Then hurrah for the land of the forests grand,
   And the Lake of the Thousand Isles.


Scheme xxaxaxaBAxcacxaBA xdxdxaBA
Poetic Form Tetractys  (24%)
Metre 110 1110101 10110111 0010111111 11000111 11101001001 00110101 10110110101 00110101 1111110111 1010101 1110111101 0011011 1110110101 0011011 10110110101 00110101 1010111101 10101111 101011011 10101101 101110101 0011011 10110110101 00110101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,017
Words 187
Sentences 7
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 17, 8
Lines Amount 25
Letters per line (avg) 30
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 372
Words per stanza (avg) 92
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

57 sec read
50

Evan MacColl

Evan MacColl (Scottish Gaelic: "Eóghann MacColla") was a Scots-Canadian Gaelic poet who also produced poems in English. He is commonly known in his native language as Bàrd Loch Fìne (the "Poet of Loch Fyne"). Later he became known as "the Gaelic Bard of Canada". more…

All Evan MacColl poems | Evan MacColl Books

0 fans

Discuss this Evan MacColl poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Lake of the Thousand Isles" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/13167/the-lake-of-the-thousand-isles>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    26
    days
    20
    hours
    24
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who was “admirably schooled in every grace”?
    A Miniver Cheevy
    B J. Alfred Prufrock
    C Odysseus
    D Richard Cory