Analysis of There Was a Cherry-Tree

James Whitcomb Riley 1849 (Greenfield) – 1916 (Indianapolis)



There was a cherry-tree. Its bloomy snows
Cool even now the fevered sight that knows
No more its airy visions of pure joy --
As when you were a boy.

There was a cherry-tree. The Bluejay sat
His blue against its white -- O blue as jet
He seemed there then!-- But now -- Whoever knew
He was so pale a blue!

There was a cherry-tree -- our child-eyes saw
The miracle:-- Its pure white snows did thaw
Into a crimson fruitage, far too sweet
But for a boy to eat.

There was a cherry-tree, give thanks and joy!--
There was a bloom of snow -- There was a boy --
There was a bluejay of the realest blue --
And fruit for both of you.


Scheme AABB XXCC DDEE BBCC
Poetic Form Quatrain  (75%)
Metre 110101111 1101010111 1111010111 111001 110101011 1101111111 1111110101 111101 11010110111 0100111111 010101111 110111 1101011101 1101111101 11011011 011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 627
Words 131
Sentences 9
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 115
Words per stanza (avg) 32
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 03, 2023

39 sec read
95

James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively. more…

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