Analysis of A Funeral Poem On The Death Of C. E. An Infant Of Twelve Months
Phillis Wheatley 1753 (West Africa) – 1784 (Boston)
Through airy roads he wings his instant flight
To purer regions of celestial light;
Enlarg'd he sees unnumber'd systems roll,
Beneath him sees the universal whole,
Planets on planets run their destin'd round,
And circling wonders fill the vast profound.
Th' ethereal now, and now th' empyreal skies
With growing splendors strike his wond'ring eyes:
The angels view him with delight unknown,
Press his soft hand, and seat him on his throne;
Then smilling thus: 'To this divine abode,
'The seat of saints, of seraphs, and of God,
'Thrice welcome thou.' The raptur'd babe replies,
'Thanks to my God, who snatch'd me to the skies,
'E'er vice triumphant had possess'd my heart,
'E'er yet the tempter had beguil d my heart,
'E'er yet on sin's base actions I was bent,
'E'er yet I knew temptation's dire intent;
'E'er yet the lash for horrid crimes I felt,
'E'er vanity had led my way to guilt,
'But, soon arriv'd at my celestial goal,
'Full glories rush on my expanding soul.'
Joyful he spoke: exulting cherubs round
Clapt their glad wings, the heav'nly vaults resound.
Say, parents, why this unavailing moan?
Why heave your pensive bosoms with the groan?
To Charles, the happy subject of my song,
A brighter world, and nobler strains belong.
Say would you tear him from the realms above
By thoughtless wishes, and prepost'rous love?
Doth his felicity increase your pain?
Or could you welcome to this world again
The heir of bliss? with a superior air
Methinks he answers with a smile severe,
'Thrones and dominions cannot tempt me there.'
But still you cry, 'Can we the sigh borbear,
'And still and still must we not pour the tear?
'Our only hope, more dear than vital breath,
'Twelve moons revolv'd, becomes the prey of death;
'Delightful infant, nightly visions give
'Thee to our arms, and we with joy receive,
'We fain would clasp the Phantom to our breast,
'The Phantom flies, and leaves the soul unblest.'
To yon bright regions let your faith ascend,
Prepare to join your dearest infant friend
In pleasures without measure, without end.
Scheme | AABBCCDDEEFGDDHHIIJKBBCCEELLMMNOPQPPPRRSTUAVVV |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1101111101 1101010101 01111101 011100101 1011011101 01001010101 1101001011111 110111111 0101110101 1111011111 111110101 011111011 110101101 1111111101 10101010111 1010111111 10111110111 101111101 10101110111 10100111111 1101110101 1101110101 1011010101 11110111 110110101 111101101 1101001111 0101010101 1111110101 11010011 1101000111 1111011101 01111001001 111010101 10110111 111111011 0101111101 10101111101 1101010111 0101010101 11101011101 11110101101 010101011 1111011101 0111110101 0100110011 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 2,006 |
Words | 355 |
Sentences | 15 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 46 |
Lines Amount | 46 |
Letters per line (avg) | 34 |
Words per line (avg) | 8 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 1,581 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 350 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on May 02, 2023
- 1:51 min read
- 240 Views
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"A Funeral Poem On The Death Of C. E. An Infant Of Twelve Months" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/29357/a-funeral-poem-on-the-death-of-c.-e.-an-infant-of-twelve-months>.
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