Analysis of Verse For a Certain Dog

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



Such glorious faith as fills your limpid eyes,
Dear little friend of mine, I never knew.
All-innocent are you, and yet all-wise.
(For Heaven's sake, stop worrying that shoe!)
You look about, and all you see is fair;
This mighty globe was made for you alone.
Of all the thunderous ages, you're the heir.
(Get off the pillow with that dirty bone!)

A skeptic world you face with steady gaze;
High in young pride you hold your noble head,
Gayly you meet the rush of roaring days.
(Must you eat puppy biscuit on the bed?)
Lancelike your courage, gleaming swift and strong,
Yours the white rapture of a winged soul,
Yours is a spirit like a Mayday song.
(God help you, if you break the goldfish bowl!)

"Whatever is, is good" - your gracious creed.
You wear your joy of living like a crown.
Love lights your simplest act, your every deed.
(Drop it, I tell you- put that kitten down!)
You are God's kindliest gift of all - a friend.
Your shining loyalty unflecked by doubt,
You ask but leave to follow to the end.
(Couldn't you wait until I took you out?)


Scheme ABABCDCD EFEFGHGH IJIJKLKL
Poetic Form Traditional rhyme
Metre 1100111111 1101111101 1100110111 1101110011 1101011111 1101111101 11010010101 1101011101 0101111101 1011111101 111011101 1111010101 111010101 101101011 1101010101 111111011 101111101 1111110101 11110111001 1111111101 111111101 110100111 1111110101 1011011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,032
Words 202
Sentences 18
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 266
Words per stanza (avg) 65
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

1:01 min read
342

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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