Analysis of Joseph's Coat

George Herbert 1593 (Montgomery) – 1633 (Bemerton)



Wounded I sing, tormented I indite,
Thrown down I fall into a bed, and rest:
Sorrow hath chang'd its note: such is his will
Who changeth all things, as him pleaseth best.
For well he knows, if but one grief and smart
Among my many had his full career,
Sure it would carry with it ev'n my heart,
And both would run until they found a bier
To fetch the body; both being due to grief.
But he hath spoil'd the race; and giv'n to anguish
One of Joy's coats, 'ticing it with relief
To linger in me, and together languish.
I live to shew his power, who once did bring
My joys to weep, and now my griefs to sing.


Scheme ABCBDEDFGHGHII
Poetic Form
Metre 101110101 1111010101 1011111111 11111111 1111111101 0111011101 11110111111 0111011101 11010110111 11110101110 111111101 11001001010 11111101111 1111011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 612
Words 123
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 459
Words per stanza (avg) 121
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

38 sec read
177

George Herbert

The Very Reverend Honourable George Herbert was an Anglican priest. more…

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