Analysis of The Church Floore

George Herbert 1593 (Montgomery) – 1633 (Bemerton)



MArk you the floore? that square & speckled stone,
                             Which looks so firm and strong,
                                          Is Patience:

And th’ other black and grave, where with each one
                             Is checker’d all along,
                                          Humilitie:

The gentle rising, which on either hand
                             Leads to the Quire above,
                                          Is Confidence:

But the sweet cement, which in one sure band
                             Ties the whole frame, is Love
                                          And Charitie.

Hither sometimes Sinne steals, and stains
The marbles neat and curious veins:
But all is cleansed when the marble weeps.
Sometimes Death, puffing at the Doore,
Blows all the dust about the floore:
But while he thinks to spoil the room, he sweeps.

Blest be the Architect, whose art
Could build so strong in a weak heart.


Scheme XAB XAC CDB CDC EEFGGF CC
Poetic Form Tetractys  (20%)
Etheree  (20%)
Metre 110111101 111101 110 011101011111 11101 1 0101011101 110101 1100 1010110111 101111 01 10011101 010101001 111110101 01110101 11010101 1111110111 1101011 11110011
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 962
Words 122
Sentences 6
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 3, 3, 3, 3, 6, 2
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 26
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 88
Words per stanza (avg) 20
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Submitted by brian_s on October 17, 2017

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
68

George Herbert

The Very Reverend Honourable George Herbert was an Anglican priest. more…

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