Analysis of Visiting Bob Johnson’s Department Store
In the early 60’s when I was around six or seven years old
riding thirteen miles into town
in my Dad’s old wooden sided station wagon
was a real treat.
Shucks, it was a treat
for any chap in my rural community.
It was time to dress purtty.
Had my hair greased with Royal Crown.
Parted and snuggly plaited as two corded braids.
Mom wouldn’t let me cut no bangs,
I had to be content with the thick rolled sausage of hair
pinned firmly in place with hairpins.
Wore one of my Sunday-Go-To-Meeting dresses
puffed out just right from my stiff candy cane petticoat.
Vaseline smoothed legs, white socks trimmed with spidery web thin lace around the turned down edges
and black patent leather shoes with slightly overturned heels,
gave me that Ooh Chile, I know I’m cute feeling.
Everybody loved Bob Johnson’s Department Store.
Upstairs and downstairs were some of the prettiest clothes
to see that I knew for certain we couldn’t afford.
Them clothes smelled good too.
Smelled better than mothballs
and sure-nuff, smelled better
than the colored bathroom
midway of the store on the basement level.
Scheme | ABXCCX ABDXXD EXEXX XXXXXXXX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Tetractys (20%) |
Metre | 0010111101111011 10111011 011110101010 1011 11101 110101100100 111111 11111101 10011011101 1111111 11111010111011 1100111 11111111010 111111110110 1011111111110101110 0110101110101 111110111110 10011100101 0101101101001 111111101101 11111 11011 011110 10101 1101101010 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,118 |
Words | 212 |
Sentences | 12 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 5, 8 |
Lines Amount | 25 |
Letters per line (avg) | 35 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 218 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 47 |
About this poem
A childhood experience (Also in my book)
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"Visiting Bob Johnson’s Department Store" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/172198/visiting-bob-johnson%E2%80%99s-department-store>.
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