Legend
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749 (Frankfurt) – 1832 (Weimar)
THERE lived in the desert a holy man
To whom a goat-footed Faun one day
Paid a visit, and thus began
To his surprise: 'I entreat thee to pray
That grace to me and my friends may be given,
That we may be able to mount to Heaven,
For great is our thirst for heav'nly bliss.'
The holy man made answer to this:
'Much danger is lurking in thy petition,
Nor will it be easy to gain admission;
Thou dost not come with an angel's salute;
For I see thou wearest a cloven foot.'
The wild man paused, and then answer'd he:
'What doth my goat's foot matter to thee?
Full many I've known into heaven to pass
Straight and with ease, with the head of an ass!'
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 28, 2023
- 40 sec read
- 177 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | A BA BCCDDCCXXEEFF |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 637 |
Words | 133 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 1, 2, 13 |
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"Legend" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/21705/legend>.
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