Analysis of The Old Dispensation

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



O THOU, who, high in heaven,
To man hast given
This clouded earthly life
All storm and strife,
Blasted with ice and fire,
Love and desire,
Filled with dead faith, and love
That change is master of--

O Thou, who mightest have given
To all Thy heaven,
But who, instead, didst give
This life we live--
Who feedest with blood and tears
The hungry years--
I make one prayer to Thee,
O Great God! grant it me.

Some day when summer shows
Her leaf, her rose,
God, let Thy sinner lie
Under Thy sky,
And feel Thy sun's large grace
Upon his face;
Then grant him this, that he
May not believe in Thee!


Scheme AABBCCDD AAXXXXEE FFGGHHEE
Poetic Form
Metre 1111010 11110 110101 1101 1011010 10010 111101 111101 1111110 11110 110111 1111 111101 0101 111111 111111 111101 0101 111101 1011 011111 0111 111111 110101
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 574
Words 116
Sentences 4
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 19
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 149
Words per stanza (avg) 38
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

35 sec read
59

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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