Analysis of Written on a Summer Evening

John Keats 1795 (Moorgate) – 1821 (Rome)



The church bells toll a melancholy round,
Calling the people to some other prayers,
Some other gloominess, more dreadful cares,
More harkening to the sermon's horrid sound.
Surely the mind of man is closely bound
In some blind spell: seeing that each one tears
Himself from fireside joys and Lydian airs,
And converse high of those with glory crowned.
Still, still they toll, and I should feel a damp,
A chill as from a tomb, did I not know
That they are dying like an outburnt lamp, -
That 'tis their sighing, wailing, ere they go
Into oblivion -that fresh flowers will grow,
And many glories of immortal stamp.


Scheme ABBAABBACDCDDC
Poetic Form
Metre 011101001 1001011101 11011101 11101101 1001111101 0111101111 011101011 0101111101 1111011101 0111011111 111101111 1111010111 010100111011 0101010101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 608
Words 111
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 483
Words per stanza (avg) 109
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 10, 2023

33 sec read
79

John Keats

John Keats was an English Romantic poet. more…

All John Keats poems | John Keats Books

48 fans

Discuss this John Keats poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Written on a Summer Evening" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 1 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/23545/written-on-a-summer-evening>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    29
    days
    4
    hours
    32
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    "I walk down the garden paths, and all the daffodils are blowing"
    A Amy Lowell
    B Emily Dickinson
    C Gwendolyn Brooks
    D Elizabeth Barrett Browning