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 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 23, 2023
- 1:11 min read
- 55 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Reflection" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/8407/reflection>.
Discuss this Edgar Albert Guest poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In