Analysis of The Burgomeister's Well
Isabella Valancy Crawford 1850 (Dublin) – 1887 (Toronto)
A peaceful spot, a little street,
So still between the double roar
Of sea and city that it seemed
A rest in music, set before
Some clashing chords--vibrating yet
With hurried measures fast and sweet;
For so the harsh chords of the town,
And so the ocean's rythmic beat.
A little street with linden trees
So thickly set, the belfry's face
Was leaf-veiled, while above them pierced,
Four slender spires flamboyant grace.
Old porches carven when the trees,
Were seedlings yellow in the sun
Five hundred years ago that bright
Upon the quaint old city shone.
A fountain prim, and richly cut
In ruddy granite, carved to tell
How a good burgomeister rear'd
The stone above the people's well.
A sea-horse from his nostrils blew
Two silver threads; a dragon's lip
Dropp'd di'monds, and a giant hand
Held high an urn on finger tip.
'Twas there I met my little maid,
There saw her flaxen tresses first;
She filled the cup for one who lean'd
(A soldier, crippl'd and athirst)
Against the basin's carven rim;
Her dear small hand's white loveliness
Was pinkly flush'd, the gay bright drops
Plash'd on her brow and silken dress.
I took the flagon from her hand,
Too small, dear hand, for such a weight.
From cobweb weft and woof is spun
The tapestry of Life and Fate!
The linden trees had gilded buds,
The dove wheeled high on joyous wing,
When on that darling hand of hers
I slipped the glimmer of a ring.
Ah, golden heart, and golden locks
Ye wove so sweet, so sure a spell!
That quiet day I saw her first
Beside the Burgomeister's Well!
Scheme | ABXBXAXA CDXDCEXX XFXFXGHG XIXAXCXX HJEJXKXKXFIF |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 01010101 11010101 11010111 01010101 11011001 11010101 11011101 0101011 01011101 1101011 11110111 11010101 1101101 01010001 11010111 01011101 01010101 01010111 10111 01010101 01111101 11010101 11100101 11111101 11111101 1101101 11011111 0101001 010111 011111 1110111 11010101 1101101 11111101 1110111 01001101 01011101 01111101 11110110 11010101 11010101 11111101 11011101 01011 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,489 |
Words | 277 |
Sentences | 12 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8, 12 |
Lines Amount | 44 |
Letters per line (avg) | 27 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 238 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 55 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:27 min read
- 90 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"The Burgomeister's Well" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/19925/the-burgomeister%27s-well>.
Discuss this Isabella Valancy Crawford poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In