Analysis of The Working Monarch
William Schwenck Gilbert 1836 – 1911
Rising early in the morning,
We proceed to light the fire,
Then our Majesty adorning
In its work-a-day attire,
We embark without delay
On the duties of the day.
First, we polish off some batches
Of political despatches,
And foreign politicians circumvent;
Then, if business isn't heavy,
We may hold a Royal LEVEE,
Or ratify some Acts of Parliament:
Then we probably review the household troops -
With the usual "Shalloo humps" and "Shalloo hoops!"
Or receive with ceremonial and state
An interesting Eastern Potentate.
After that we generally
Go and dress our private VALET -
(It's a rather nervous duty - he a touchy little man) -
Write some letters literary
For our private secretary -
(He is shaky in his spelling, so we help him if we can.)
Then, in view of cravings inner,
We go down and order dinner;
Or we polish the Regalia and the Coronation Plate -
Spend an hour in titivating
All our Gentlemen-in-Waiting;
Or we run on little errands for the Ministers of State.
Oh, philosophers may sing
Of the troubles of a King,
Yet the duties are delightful, and the privileges great;
But the privilege and pleasure
That we treasure beyond measure
Is to run on little errands for the Ministers of State!
After luncheon (making merry
On a bun and glass of sherry),
If we've nothing in particular to do,
We may make a Proclamation,
Or receive a Deputation -
Then we possibly create a Peer or two.
Then we help a fellow-creature on his path
With the Garter or the Thistle or the Bath:
Or we dress and toddle off in semi-State
To a festival, a function, or a FETE.
Then we go and stand as sentry
At the Palace (private entry),
Marching hither, marching thither, up and down and to and fro,
While the warrior on duty
Goes in search of beer and beauty
(And it generally happens that he hasn't far to go).
He relieves us, if he's able,
Just in time to lay the table.
Then we dine and serve the coffee; and at half-past twelve or one,
With a pleasure that's emphatic;
Then we seek our little attic
With the gratifying feeling that our duty has been done.
Oh, philosophers may sing
Of the troubles of a King,
But of pleasures there are many and of troubles there are none;
And the culminating pleasure
That we treasure beyond measure
Is the gratifying feeling that our duty has been done!
Scheme | ababcc ddxeexffggec heehbbgaagAAgbBg eeijhikkggeeleelmm jnnjAAjbBj |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 10100010 10111010 110100010 01101010 1010101 1010101 11101110 101001 01001001 11101010 11101010 110111100 111001011 1010011011 1011010001 11001010 10111000 101101001 101010101010101 1110100 11010100 111001101111111 10111010 11101010 11100010000101 111001 110100010 111110101010011 1010011 1010101 10101010001001 1010010 11100110 111110101010011 10101010 10101110 11100010011 1110010 10101 11100010111 11101010111 10101010101 11101010101 10100010101 11101110 10101010 10101011010101 10100110 10111010 011000101110111 10111110 10111010 111010100111111 10101010 111101010 101001011010111 1010011 1010101 111011100110111 0010010 11100110 101001011010111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 2,224 |
Words | 417 |
Sentences | 13 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 12, 16, 18, 10 |
Lines Amount | 62 |
Letters per line (avg) | 29 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 356 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 83 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 2:06 min read
- 57 Views
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"The Working Monarch" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/41342/the-working-monarch>.
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