Analysis of Nearer, My God, to Thee

Greg Lanier 1962 (Atlanta, GA)



A brown cub climbed a redwood tree
and shouted, “I’m the best!
Since I sit top the tallest tree,
I’m better than the rest.”

Eagle smirked this vain display,
then perched a nearby limb.
“Your exploits may seem high and bright;
but your wit seems mighty dim.
For I can still fly higher,
and hunt with greater skill.
Feast upon my beauty;
massive wings and dollar bill.”

The silent morning shattered
and the rivals lost their mirth.
Their desperate bodies clinging
as each tumbled toward the earth.

The grinning hunter shook his head and yelled,
“NO!!!!   I’M THE ONE!
For I have spied the both of you
and killed you just for fun.”


Scheme ABAB XCXCXDAD XEXE XFXF
Poetic Form Tetractys  (20%)
Etheree  (20%)
Metre 0111011 010101 11110101 110101 1011101 110111 1111101 1111101 1111110 011101 101110 1010101 0101010 0010111 1101010 11100101 0101011101 1101 11110111 011111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 627
Words 116
Sentences 12
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 8, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 121
Words per stanza (avg) 29
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Submitted by GregLanier on May 10, 2021

Modified on March 05, 2023

34 sec read
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