Analysis of L'envoi To "Life's Handicap"

Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)



My new-cut ashlar takes the light
 Where crimson-blank the windows flare;
By my own work, before the night,
 Great Overseer I make my prayer.

If there be good in that I wrought,
 Thy hand compelled it, Master, Thine;
Where I have failed to meet Thy thought
 I know, through Thee, the blame is mine.

One instant's toil to Thee denied
 Stands all Eternity's offence,
Of that I did with Thee to guide
 To Thee, through Thee, be excellence.

Who, lest all thought of Eden fade,
 Bring'st Eden to the craftsman's brain,
Godlike to muse o'er his own trade
 And Manlike stand with God again.

The depth and dream of my desire,
 The bitter paths wherein I stray,
Thou knowest Who hast made the Fire,
 Thou knowest Who hast made the Clay!

One stone the more swings to her place
 In that dread Temple of Thy Worth --
It is enough that through Thy grace
 I saw naught common on Thy earth.

Take not that vision from my ken;
 Oh whatsoe'er may spoil or speed,
Help me to need no aid from men
 That I may help such men as need!


Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GXGH IJIJ FKFK HLHL
Poetic Form Quatrain  (86%)
Metre 1111101 11010101 11110101 110101111 11110111 11011101 11111111 11110111 1111101 1111 11111111 11111100 11111101 11101011 11110111 0111101 010111010 01010111 11111010 1111101 11011101 01110111 11011111 11110111 11110111 111111 11111111 11111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 998
Words 192
Sentences 8
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 110
Words per stanza (avg) 27
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 11, 2023

59 sec read
117

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist chiefly remembered for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India and his tales for children. more…

All Rudyard Kipling poems | Rudyard Kipling Books

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