Analysis of A Child's Wish
Abram Joseph Ryan 1839 (Hagerstown) – 1886 (Louisville)
Before an Altar
I wish I were the little key
That locks Love's Captive in,
And lets Him out to go and free
A sinful heart from sin.
I wish I were the little bell
That tinkles for the Host,
When God comes down each day to dwell
With hearts He loves the most.
I wish I were the chalice fair,
That holds the Blood of Love,
When every flash lights holy prayer
Upon its way above.
I wish I were the little flower
So near the Host's sweet face,
Or like the light that half an hour
Burns on the shrine of grace.
I wish I were the altar where,
As on His mother's breast,
Christ nestles, like a child, fore'er
In Eucharistic rest.
But, oh! my God, I wish the most
That my poor heart may be
A home all holy for each Host
That comes in love to me.
Scheme | A BCBC DEDE FGFG AHAH FIAI EBEB |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 01110 11100101 111100 01111101 010111 11100101 11101 11111111 111101 11100101 110111 110011101 011101 111001010 110111 110111110 110111 11100101 111101 11010110 011 11111101 111111 01110111 110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 736 |
Words | 160 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 7 |
Stanza Lengths | 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 25 |
Letters per line (avg) | 23 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 80 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 22 |
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Submitted on August 03, 2020
Modified on March 24, 2023
- 49 sec read
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"A Child's Wish" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/54617/a-child%27s-wish>.
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