Analysis of Antichrist, or the Reunion of Christendom: An Ode
Gilbert Keith Chesterton 1874 (Kensington, London) – 1936 (Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire)
Are they clinging to their crosses,
F. E. Smith,
Where the Breton boat-fleet tosses,
Are they, Smith?
Do they, fasting, trembling, bleeding,
Wait the news from this our city?
Groaning "That's the Second Reading!"
Hissing "There is still Committee!"
If the voice of Cecil falters,
If McKenna's point has pith,
Do they tremble for their altars?
Do they, Smith?
Russian peasants round their pope
Huddled, Smith,
Hear about it all, I hope,
Don't they, Smith?
In the mountain hamlets clothing
Peaks beyond Caucasian pales,
Where Establishment means nothing
And they never heard of Wales,
Do they read it all in Hansard --
With a crib to read it with --
"Welsh Tithes: Dr. Clifford answered."
Really, Smith?
In the lands where Christians were,
F. E. Smith,
In the little lands laid bare,
Smith, O Smith!
Where the Turkish bands are busy
And the Tory name is blessed
Since they hailed the Cross of Dizzy
On the banners from the West!
Men don't think it half so hard if
Islam burns their kin and kith,
Since a curate lives in Cardiff
Saved by Smith.
It would greatly, I must own,
Soothe me, Smith!
If you left this theme alone,
Holy Smith!
For your legal cause or civil
You fight well and get your fee;
For your God or dream or devil
You will answer, not to me.
Talk about the pews and steeples
And the cash that goes therewith!
But the souls of Christian peoples...
Chuck it, Smith!
Scheme | aBabcdcdebeb fbfbcgcghxhb xBxbdidijbjb kbkbldldmbmb |
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Poetic Form | |
Metre | 11101110 111 10101110 111 111010010 101111010 10101010 10111010 10111010 11111 11101110 111 1010111 101 1011111 111 00101010 1010101 10100110 0110111 11111010 1011111 1111010 101 0011100 111 0010111 111 10101110 0010111 11101110 1010101 11111111 0111101 10101010 111 1110111 111 1111101 101 11101110 1110111 11111110 1110111 10101010 001111 10111010 111 |
Closest metre | Iambic trimeter |
Characters | 1,612 |
Words | 252 |
Sentences | 24 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 12, 12, 12, 12 |
Lines Amount | 48 |
Letters per line (avg) | 22 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 264 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 62 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:15 min read
- 52 Views
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"Antichrist, or the Reunion of Christendom: An Ode" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/15968/antichrist%2C-or-the-reunion-of-christendom%3A-an-ode>.
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