Analysis of Little Girls Must Not Fret

Jane Taylor 1783 (London) – 1824



What is it that makes little Emily cry?
Come then, let mamma wipe the tear from her eye:
There­ -- lay down your head on my bosom­ -- that's right,
And now tell mamma what's the matter to-night.

What! Emmy is sleepy, and tired with play?
Come, Betty, make haste then, and fetch her away;
But do not be fretful, my darling; you know
Mamma cannot love little girls that are so.

She shall soon go to bed and forget it all there­
Ah! here's her sweet smile come again, I declare:
That's right, for I thought you quite naughty before.
Good night, my dear child, but don't fret any more.


Scheme AABB CCDD EEFF
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 11111101001 11110101101 11111111011 01110101011 11011001011 11011101001 11111011011 10101101111 111111001111 11011101101 11111111001 11111111101
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 588
Words 113
Sentences 9
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 12
Letters per line (avg) 36
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 145
Words per stanza (avg) 37
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 05, 2023

35 sec read
48

Jane Taylor

Jane Taylor was an English poet and novelist. She wrote the words to the song "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", which is widely known, but it is generally forgotten who wrote it. more…

All Jane Taylor poems | Jane Taylor Books

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