Analysis of Turn Back Time

Riaan Smit 1988 (Windhoek)



I would save everyone, that I could
Stop so many from feeling a pain
That they never should
I would spend one dime
On things that didn’t matter in the end
I would hold on to every gift I got
Like the ones I’ll never get again

I would be kinder to some
And colder to others
I would know who I can trust
As my sisters and brothers
I wouldn’t waste my time
On those who bring me down
I would take every chance I got
That ever came around

If I could turn back time, lord I wouldn’t mind to restart the clock again
If I could turn back time, lord I wouldn’t mind to aim for a different end

If I could turn back time, lord I wouldn’t mind, lord I wouldn’t mind

I’ve worked hard all my life
I’ve rarely worked smart
With the little bit i’ve put in
I really got back a lot
If i could give the ride another go
With everything that i know know
I think it would end up the same
And that's okay
If hindsight is 20 20
Then everyone is blind
It's easy to predict a past
Once you’ve left it behind


Scheme AXABCDE XFXFBXDX EC G XXXDHHXXXGXG
Poetic Form Etheree  (23%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 11110111 111011001 11101 11111 111110001 11111100111 101110101 1111011 010110 1111111 1110010 11111 111111 111100111 110101 11111111111010101 111111111111101001 11111111111111 111111 11011 10101110 1101101 1111010101 1101111 11111101 011 111 11011 11010101 111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,012
Words 209
Sentences 1
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 7, 8, 2, 1, 12
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 152
Words per stanza (avg) 41
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Written on August 06, 2021

Submitted by tribeone_b on January 04, 2023

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:03 min read
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