Analysis of In Memoriam. - Henrietta Selden Colt,



Daughter of Col. SAMUEL and Mrs. ELIZABETH COLT, died January 20th, 1862, aged 7 months and 27 days.

THE MOURNING MOTHER.

A tomb for thee, my babe!
Dove of my bosom, can it be?
But yesterday in all thy charms,
Laughing and leaping in my arms,
A tomb and shroud for thee!

A couch for thee mine own,
Beneath the frost and snow!
So fondly cradled, soft and warm,
And sheltered from each breath of storm,
A wintry couch for thee!

Thy noble father's there,
But the last week he died,
He would have stretched his guarding arm,
To shelter thee from every harm,
Nestle thee to his side.

Thy ruby lip skill'd not
That father's name to speak,
Yet wouldst thou pause mid infant play
To kiss his picture when away,
The love smile on thy cheek.

Thy brother slumbereth there,
Our first-born joy was he,
Thy little sister sweetly fair,
Most like a blessed bird of air;
A goodly company.

Only one left with me,
One here and three above,
Be not afraid my precious child!
The Shepherd of the lambs is mild,--
Sleep in His love.

Thou never saw'st our Spring
Unfold the blossoms gay;
But thou shalt see perennial bowers,
Enwreathed with bright and glorious flowers,
That cannot fade away.

And thou shalt join the song,
That happy cherubs pour,
In their adoring harmonies:
I'll hear ye, darlings, when I rise
To that celestial shore.

Yes, there's a Saviour dear,--
Keep down, oh tears, that swell!
A righteous God who reigns above,
Whose darkest ways are truth and love,
He doeth all things well.


Scheme X X XABBA XXCCA DEFFE XGHHG DADDA AIJJI XHKKH XLXXL XMIIM
Poetic Form
Metre 101110010010011100111101 01010 011111 11110111 1100111 10010011 010111 011111 010101 1101101 01011111 010111 110101 101111 11111101 110111001 101111 110111 110111 11111101 11110101 011111 11011 1011111 11010101 1101111 010100 101111 110101 11011101 01010111 1011 11011101 010101 1111010010 111010010 110101 011101 110101 01010100 11110111 110101 11011 111111 01011101 11011101 11111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,462
Words 281
Sentences 18
Stanzas 11
Stanza Lengths 1, 1, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Lines Amount 47
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 104
Words per stanza (avg) 24
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:26 min read
4

Lydia Howard Sigourney

Lydia Huntley Sigourney, née Lydia Howard Huntley, was an American poet during the early and mid 19th century. She was commonly known as the "Sweet Singer of Hartford". Most of her works were published with just her married name Mrs. Sigourney.  more…

All Lydia Howard Sigourney poems | Lydia Howard Sigourney Books

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