Analysis of The High Priest
Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis 1876 (Auburn) – 1938 (Melbourne)
Nay, why do foolish politicians strive
To win a fleeting popularity?
In vain, in vain, they jealously contrive
To turn the doting Public Eye from Me.
What was this land, this nation, destined for?
For Art, Trade, Politics? All out of place.
Behold, I am the Sporting Editor!
I call the race!
Reviewers, leader writers - what are they?
Subs., poets, novelists? Scribes of a sort
Mere puny scribbling creatures of a day;
While I, the people's idol, stand for Sport!
For mark, when inspiration falls on me,
What recks the public of that nameless band?
I ope' my lips, and wisdom, gushing free,
O'erflows the land.
I lift my voice, and, lo! an army wakes
A mighty host, a hundred thousand strong
To spread the message; while the nation quakes
And thunders with the burden of my song:
'Ten lengths from home 'Gray Lad' outstripped 'The Witch,'
And passed the post by just a short neck, first.'
These are the words, the pregnant words, for which
The land's athirst.
They are the children of my brain, mine own!
These mighty words for which the people yearn;
The product of my genius alone!
Would you begrudge the laurels that I earn?
Mark you, yon sturdy native, strong o' limb,
That leans against the lamp-post o'er the way
Approach, and learn of my great fame from him.
Approach and say:
'Awake! Arise! A curse on him who waits!
Behold, young man, thy country needs thy like;
The yellow hordes are panting at our gates.
Arouse, young patriot, go forth and strike!
Awake, and cast they reeking 'fag' away!
Arise, and take the white man's burden up!'
'I'll lay you ten to one, in 'quids,'' he'll say:
'Wot's won the Cup?'
Behold, the High Priest of the people's creed!
Proclaim his genius! The bays! The bays!
Come, crown the Sporting Editor - indeed,
He is familiar with bays - with grays.
'Ten lengths from home!' How exquisite! How chaste!
''Gray Lad' outstripped 'The Witch'!' What style! What grace!
Come, beauty, twine a laurel wreath. Nay, haste!
He calls the race!
Scheme | ABABXCXC DEDEBFBF GHGHIXIB JKJKLDLD MNMNDODO PQPQRCRC |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111100101 110100100 0101110001 1101010111 1111110101 111101111 0111010100 1101 0101010111 1101001101 11010010101 1101010111 111010111 1101011101 1111010101 101 1111011101 0101010101 1101010101 0101010111 1111110101 0101110111 1101010111 011 1101011111 1101110101 010111001 1101010111 1111010111 11010111001 0101111111 0101 0101011111 0111110111 01011101101 0111001101 0101110101 0101011101 1111110111 1101 0101110101 011100101 1101010001 110101111 1111110011 1101011111 1101010111 1101 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,941 |
Words | 357 |
Sentences | 43 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 48 |
Letters per line (avg) | 31 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 248 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 60 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:47 min read
- 104 Views
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"The High Priest" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/6669/the-high-priest>.
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