Analysis of The Trifler

Dorothy Parker 1893 (Long Branch) – 1967 (New York City)



Death's the lover that I'd be taking;
Wild and fickle and fierce is he.
Small's his care if my heart be breaking-
Gay young Death would have none of me.

Hear them clack of my haste to greet him!
No one other my mouth had kissed.
I had dressed me in silk to meet him-
False young Death would not hold the tryst.

Slow's the blood that was quick and stormy,
Smooth and cold is the bridal bed;
I must wait till he whistles for me-
Proud young Death would not turn his head.

I must wait till my breast is wilted.
I must wait till my back is bowed,
I must rock in the corner, jilted-
Death went galloping down the road.

Gone's my heart with a trifling rover.
Fine he was in the game he played-
Kissed, and promised, and threw me over,
And rode away with a prettier maid.


Scheme ABAB CDCD BEBE FXFX GHGH
Poetic Form Quatrain  (80%)
Etheree  (35%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 101011110 10100111 111111110 11111111 111111111 11101111 111101111 11111101 101111010 10110101 111111011 11111111 111111110 11111111 111001010 11100101 111101010 11100111 101001110 0101101001
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 753
Words 154
Sentences 11
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 117
Words per stanza (avg) 30
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 07, 2023

47 sec read
135

Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. more…

All Dorothy Parker poems | Dorothy Parker Books

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