Analysis of A Prayer - In The Prospect Of Death.

Robert Burns 1759 (Alloway) – 1796 (Dumfries)



O Thou unknown, Almighty Cause
Of all my hope and fear?
In whose dread presence, ere an hour
Perhaps I must appear!

If I have wander'd in those paths
Of life I ought to shun;
As something, loudly, in my breast,
Remonstrates I have done;

Thou know'st that Thou hast formed me,
With passions wild and strong;
And list'ning to their witching voice
Has often led me wrong.

Where human weakness has come short,
Or frailty stept aside,
Do Thou, All-Good! for such thou art,
In shades of darkness hide.

Where with intention I have err'd,
No other plea I have,
But, Thou art good; and goodness still
Delighteth to forgive.


Scheme XAXA XBXB XCXC XDXD XXXX
Poetic Form Quatrain  (80%)
Etheree  (30%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 11010101 111101 011101110 011101 11110011 111111 11010011 1111 11111111 110101 01111101 110111 11010111 110101 11111111 011101 11010111 110111 11110101 1101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 607
Words 115
Sentences 6
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 95
Words per stanza (avg) 22
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on March 24, 2023

35 sec read
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Robert Burns

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. more…

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