Analysis of Reapers

Jean Toomer 1894 (Washington, D.C.) – 1967 (Doylestown)



Black reapers with the sound of steel on stones
Are sharpening scythes. I see them place the hones
In their hip-pockets as a thing that's done,
And start their silent swinging, one by one.
Black horses drive a mower through the weeds,
And there, a field rat, startled, squealing bleeds,
His belly close to ground. I see the blade,
Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade.


Scheme AABBCCDD
Poetic Form
Metre 111011111 11001111101 0111010111 0111010111 1101010101 0101110101 1101111101 1101010101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 380
Words 67
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 8
Lines Amount 8
Letters per line (avg) 37
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 299
Words per stanza (avg) 65
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 26, 2023

20 sec read
562

Jean Toomer

Jean Toomer was an American poet and novelist and an important figure of the Harlem Renaissance. more…

All Jean Toomer poems | Jean Toomer Books

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