Analysis of At Senlis Once

Edmund Blunden 1896 (London) – 1974 (Long Melford)



how comely it was and how reviving,
When with clay and with death no longer striving
Down firm roads we came to houses
With women chattering and green grass thriving.

Now though rains in a cataract descended,
We could glow, with our tribulation ended--
Count not days, the present only
Was thought of, how could it ever be expended?

Clad so cleanly, this remnant of poor wretches
Picked up life like the hens in orchard ditches,
Gazed on the mill-sails, heard the church-bell,
Found an honest glass all manner of riches.

How they crowded the barn with lusty laughter,
Hailed the pierrots and shook each shadowy rafter,
Even could ridicule their own sufferings,
Sang as though nothing but joy came after!


Scheme AABA CCXX BBXB DDXD
Poetic Form
Metre 1101101010 11101111010 11111110 11010001110 11100100010 11111001010 11101010 111111101010 1110110111 11110101010 110111011 11101110110 11100111010 10101110010 1011011100 1111011110
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 696
Words 123
Sentences 5
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 141
Words per stanza (avg) 30
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
67

Edmund Blunden

Edmund Charles Blunden, MC was an English poet, author and critic. more…

All Edmund Blunden poems | Edmund Blunden Books

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