Analysis of The Letter

Wilfred Owen 1893 (Oswestry) – 1918 (Sambre–Oise Canal)



With B.E.F. Jun 10. Dear Wife,
(Oh blast this pencil. 'Ere, Bill, lend's a knife.)
I'm in the pink at present, dear.
I think the war will end this year.
We don't see much of them square-'eaded 'Uns.
We're out of harm's way, not bad fed.
I'm longing for a taste of your old buns.
(Say, Jimmie, spare's a bite of bread.)
There don't seem much to say just now.
(Yer what? Then don't, yer ruddy cow!
And give us back me cigarette!)
I'll soon be 'ome. You mustn't fret.
My feet's improvin', as I told you of.
We're out in the rest now. Never fear.
(VRACH! By crumbs, but that was near.)
Mother might spare you half a sov.
Kiss Nell and Bert. When me and you-
(Eh? What the 'ell! Stand to? Stand to!
Jim, give's a hand with pack on, lad.
Guh! Christ! I'm hit. Take 'old. Aye, bad.
No, damn your iodine. Jim? 'Ere!
Write my old girl, Jim, there's a dear.)


Scheme AABBCDCDEEFFGBBAHHIIJB
Poetic Form
Metre 11111 1111011101 10011101 11011111 111111111 11111111 1101011111 11010111 11111111 11111101 0111101 11111101 11111111 110011101 1111111 10111101 11011101 11011111 11011111 11111111 1111011 11111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 835
Words 175
Sentences 40
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 22
Lines Amount 22
Letters per line (avg) 27
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 592
Words per stanza (avg) 166
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

57 sec read
199

Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War. more…

All Wilfred Owen poems | Wilfred Owen Books

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