Analysis of Peat cutting men

Andy Lyle 1951 (Londonderry)




They toiled with hands like tree bark

As they cut through rotted peat

Stacking it in heaps to dry

Did not have to be that neat

Just so long as the Westerly's

Could dry out the peat bog water

So it could burn on winters nights

Was all that really mattered

And they could sit in warm habs

With hot broth in their hand

Another day's work completed

And an evening's rest began

Fine clothes for Sundays they were saved

So they could look their best

While thanking God in Heaven above

For this His blessed day of rest

When they could sit down at the pew

With Hymn book at the ready

To sing their praises to the Lord

With voices strong and steady

Then off to Pub to sup a pint

And  wild stories for to tell

Of how they dug for peat so deep

They nearly ended up in hell


Scheme X A X A B X B X B X X X X C X C X D X D X E X E
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111 1111101 1010111 1111111 111101 11101110 11111101 1111010 0111011 111011 01011010 0110101 1111101 111111 110101001 1111111 11111101 1111010 11110101 1101010 11111101 0110111 11111111 11010101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 738
Words 153
Sentences 1
Stanzas 24
Stanza Lengths 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 25
Words per stanza (avg) 6
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Submitted by andylyle1 on August 20, 2014

Modified on March 05, 2023

46 sec read
3

Andy Lyle

Born in Ireland more…

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