Analysis of A Penitential Hymne

Henry King 1592 (Worminghall, Buckinghamshire) – 1669 (Chichester)



Hearken O God unto a Wretches cryes
Who low dejected at thy footstool lies.
Let not the clamour of my heinous sin
Drown my requests, which strive to enter in
At those bright gates, which alwaies open stand
To such as beg remission at thy hand.
Too well I know, if thou in rigour deal
I can nor pardon ask, nor yet appeal:
To my hoarse voice, heaven will no audience grant,
But deaf as brass, and hard as adamant
Beat back my words; therefore I bring to thee
A gracious Advocate to plead for me.
What though my leprous soul no Jordan can
Recure, nor flouds of the lav'd Ocean
Make clean? yet from my Saviours bleeding side
Two large and medicinable rivers glide.
Lord, wash me where those streams of life abound,
And new Bethesdaes flow from ev'ry wound.
If I this precious Lather may obtain,
I shall not then despair for any stain;
I need no Gileads balm, nor oyl, nor shall
I for the purifying Hyssop call:
My spots will vanish in His purple flood,
And Crimson there turn white, though washt with blood.
See Lord! with broken heart and bended knee,
How I address my humble suit to Thee;
O give that suit admittance to thy ears
Which floats to thee not in my words but tears:
And let my sinful soul this mercy crave
Before I fall into the silent grave.


Scheme AABBCCDDEFGGHIJJKKLLMNOOGGAAPP
Poetic Form Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 11110011 110101111 110111101 1101111100 111111101 1111010111 111111011 1111011101 111110111001 1111011100 111111111 0101001111 111111101 11110110 111111101 1101101 1111111101 0111111 1111010101 1111011101 111111111 110100101 1111001101 0101111111 1111010101 111110111 1111010111 1111101111 0111011101 0111010101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,260
Words 239
Sentences 10
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 30
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 983
Words per stanza (avg) 237
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:12 min read
98

Henry King

Henry King was an English poet who served as Bishop of Chichester. more…

All Henry King poems | Henry King Books

0 fans

Discuss this Henry King poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

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

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "A Penitential Hymne" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/17622/a-penitential-hymne>.

    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!

    March 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    18
    hours
    7
    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 wrote the poem, "The cask of Amontillado"?
    A Emily Dickinson
    B Edgar Allan Poe
    C Miguel De Cervantes
    D Rudyard Kipling