Analysis of Inspiration

Edith Nesbit 1858 (Kennington, Surrey ) – 1924 (New Romney, Kent)



I WANDERED in the enchanted wood,
And as I wandered there, I sang
A song I never understood,
Though sweet the music rang.

I held a lily white and fair,
Its perfume was a song divine,
A song like moonlight and clear air,
No rose-hued cloud like mine.

Beneath pale moon and wind-winged skies
My lips were dumb as one drew near,
Folded warm wings across my eyes
And whispered in my ear.

He left a flame-flower in my hand,
And bade me sing as heretofore
The song I could not understand;
But I can sing no more.

His secret seals my dumb lips fast,
My lily withered 'neath his wing;
But now I understand at last
The song I used to sing.


Scheme ABAB CDCD EXEX FGFG HIHI
Poetic Form Quatrain  (80%)
Etheree  (40%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 110000101 01110111 0111001 110101 11010101 10110101 0111011 111111 01110111 11011111 10110111 010011 110110011 0111101 0111101 111111 11011111 11010111 1110111 011111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 638
Words 125
Sentences 6
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 98
Words per stanza (avg) 25
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

37 sec read
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Edith Nesbit

Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later affiliated to the Labour Party. more…

All Edith Nesbit poems | Edith Nesbit Books

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