Analysis of Her Letter in Chambers

James Williams 1869 (Taigwynion, near Tal-y-bont, Cardiganshire) – 1954 (United Kingdom)



I sat by the fire and watched it blaze,
And dreamed that she wrote me a letter,
And for that dream to the end of my days
To Fancy I owe myself debtor.

Next day there came the postman's knock,
The morning was bright and sunny,
And showed me a sheaf of circulars, stock
Attempts to get hold of my money.

'Mid correspondence of this dull kind
A dainty notelet lay hidden,
It seemed as though it had half a mind
To consider itself forbidden.

The writing was like herself, complete,
With a touch of her queenly bearing,
So Venus wrote when she ordered in Crete
Her doves to take her an airing.

Inside it was just as promising,
'Twas a pressing invitation
To dine at her house to-morrow, and bring
My book for her approbation.

For I have published, be it confessed,
A little volume of verses,
And in the volume whatever is best
The praise of herself rehearses.

I sit by the fire, and again I dream
A happier dream than ever,
I see her beautiful eyes soft gleam
As she murmurs, "How lovely--how clever!"

Her criticism may be commonplace,
But who can be angry after
Now sweet with pity he marks her face,
Now bright with impulsive laughter?


Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH HFHF IXIX JBJB KBKB
Poetic Form Quatrain  (88%)
Metre 1110100111 011111010 0111101111 11011110 1111011 01011010 0110111001 011111110 10101111 0101110 111111101 101001100 010110101 10110110 1101111001 01110110 011111100 1010010 1110111001 1110010 111101101 01010110 000101011 01101010 11101000111 01001110 110100111 1110110110 01001110 11111010 111101101 11101010
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,122
Words 219
Sentences 8
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 111
Words per stanza (avg) 26
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:05 min read
2

James Williams

John James Williams (8 October 1869 – 6 May 1954), commonly known by his bardic name of "J.J.", was a Welsh poet and served as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1936 to 1939 more…

All James Williams poems | James Williams Books

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