Analysis of In Memory Of Anyone Unknown To Me

Elizabeth Jennings 1926 (Boston) – 2001



At this particular time I have no one
Particular person to grieve for, though there must
Be many, many unknown ones going to dust
Slowly, not remembered for what they have done
Or left undone. For these, then, I will grieve
Being impartial, unable to deceive.

How they lived, or died, is quite unknown,
And, by that fact gives my grief purity,
An important person quite apart from me
Or one obscure who drifted down alone.
Both or all I remember, have a place.
For these I never encountered face to face.

Sentiment will creep in. I cast it out
Wishing to give these classical repose,
No epitaph, no poppy and no rose
From me, and certainly no wish to learn about
The way they lived or died. In earth or fire
They are gone. Simply because they were human, I admire.


Scheme ABBACC DEEDFF GHHGXX
Poetic Form
Metre 11010011111 010010111111 110100111011 10101011111 1101111111 10010010101 111111101 0111111100 10101010111 1101110101 1111010101 11110010111 1001101111 1011110001 110110011 110100111101 01111101110 11110011010101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 753
Words 144
Sentences 9
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 18
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 199
Words per stanza (avg) 47
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on March 15, 2023

43 sec read
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Elizabeth Jennings

Elizabeth Jennings was an English poet. more…

All Elizabeth Jennings poems | Elizabeth Jennings Books

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