Analysis of A Stream’s Singing

Dinah Maria Mulock Craik 1826 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) – 1887 (Shortlands, London)



O HOW beautiful is Morning!
How the sunbeams strike the daisies,
And the kingcups fill the meadow
Like a golden-shielded army
Marching to the uplands fair;--
I am going forth to battle,
And life's uplands rise before me,
And my golden shield is ready,
And I pause a moment, timing
My heart's pæan to the waters,
As with cheerful song incessant
Onwards runs the little stream;
Singing ever, onward ever,
Boldly runs the merry stream.

O how glorious is Noon-day!
With the cool large shadows lying
Underneath the giant forest,
The far hill-tops towering dimly
O'er the conquered plains below;--
I am conquering--I shall conquer
In life's battle-field impetuous:
And I lie and listen dreamy
To a double-voiced, low music,--
Tender beech-trees sheeny shiver
Mingled with the diapason
Of the strong, deep, joyful stream,
Like a man's love and a woman's;
So it runs--the happy stream!

O how grandly cometh Even,
Sitting on the mountain summit,
Purple-vestured, grave, and silent,
Watching o'er the dewy valleys,
Like a good king near his end:--
I have labored, I have governed;
Now I feel the gathering shadows
Of the night that closes all things:
And the fair earth fades before me,
And the stars leap out in heaven,
While into the infinite darkness
Solemn runs the steadfast stream--
Onward, onward, ceaseless, fearless,
Singing runs the eternal stream.


Scheme ABCDXXDDAXEFGF XAXDCGHDXGIFXF IXEBXXXXDIHFHF
Poetic Form
Metre 11100110 1011010 001101 10101010 1010101 11101110 01101011 01101110 01101010 11111010 11101010 1010101 10101010 1010101 11100111 1011110 0101010 011110010 10010101 111001110 01101010 01101010 10101110 1011110 10101 1011101 10110010 1110101 11101010 10101010 1011010 101001010 1011111 11101110 11101001 10111011 00111011 00111010 101010010 101011 10101010 10100101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,357
Words 230
Sentences 6
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 14, 14, 14
Lines Amount 42
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 352
Words per stanza (avg) 75
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:11 min read
81

Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Dinah Maria Craik (; born Dinah Maria Mulock, also often credited as Miss Mulock or Mrs. Craik) was an English novelist and poet. She is best remembered for her novel John Halifax, Gentleman, which presents the mid-Victorian ideals of English middle-class life.  more…

All Dinah Maria Mulock Craik poems | Dinah Maria Mulock Craik Books

0 fans

Discuss this Dinah Maria Mulock Craik poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "A Stream’s Singing" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/7980/a-stream%E2%80%99s-singing>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    1
    day
    17
    hours
    50
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    William Blake: "Tiger Tiger, burning bright, In the forests of the _________".
    A night
    B bites
    C fight
    D knight