Analysis of Reflection

Edgar Albert Guest 1881 (Birmingham) – 1959 (Detroit, Michigan)



You have given me riches and ease,
You have given me joys through the years,
I have sat in the shade of your trees,
With the song of your birds in my ears.
I have drunk of your bountiful wine
And done as I've chosen to do,
But, oh wonderful country of mine,
'How little have I done for you!

You have given me safe harbor from harm,
Untroubled I've slept through the nights
And have waked to the new morning's charm
And claimed as my own its delights.
I have taken the finest of fine
From your orchards and fields where it grew,
But, oh wonderful country of mine,
How little I've given to you!

You have given me a home and a place
Where in safety my babies may play;
Health blooms on each bright dimpled face
And laughter is theirs every day.
You have guarded from danger the shrine
Where I worship when toiling is through,
But, oh wonderful country of mine,
How little have I done for you!

I have taken your gifts without thought,
I have revelled in joys that you gave,
That I see now with blood had been bought,
The blood of your earlier braves.
I have lived without making one sign
That the source of my riches I knew,
Now, oh wonderful country of mine,
I'm here to do something for you!


Scheme ababcdCD efefcdCd ghghcdCD xxxxcdcd
Poetic Form
Metre 111011001 111011101 111001111 101111011 111111001 01111011 111001011 11011111 1110111011 01011101 011101101 01111101 111001011 111001111 111001011 11011011 1110101001 101011011 11111101 010111001 111011001 111011011 111001011 11011111 111011011 11101111 111111111 01111001 111011011 101111011 111001011 11111011
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,166
Words 232
Sentences 9
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 232
Words per stanza (avg) 58
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 23, 2023

1:11 min read
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Edgar Albert Guest

Edgar Albert Guest was a British-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet. His poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life. more…

All Edgar Albert Guest poems | Edgar Albert Guest Books

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