Analysis of The Witch of Aberdeen
She lived outside of Aberdeen
Where Scotland woods stood glum and gray
Above a cavern in between
The rising moon and setting day.
Her laughter seemed to plague the night—
That is, as some would say;
And oft, through yonder crescent light,
Would on her broomstick glide away.
One day a mob of townsfolk came
And seized her from her dwelling place—
The violence bruised her fragile frame,
The blows and blows her puzzled face.
'Neath weeping woods and weeping sky,
They drug her to a space
Where she was left alone to die,
A witch condemned to hell's embrace.
Not one had known the homeless teen,
This mute recluse abandoned there—
But she loved God and lived serene
In grim conditions none would dare.
And now her laughter fills His halls,
And halos hug her hair.
This girl condemned by 'Christain laws'
Is now embraced by Heaven's Care.
Scheme | ABABCBCB DEDEFEFE AGAGXGXG |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1111110 11011101 01010001 01010101 01011101 111111 01110101 1101101 1101111 01010101 010010101 01010101 11010101 110101 11110111 01011101 11110101 11010101 11110101 01010111 01010111 010101 1101111 11011101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 884 |
Words | 170 |
Sentences | 7 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
Lines Amount | 24 |
Letters per line (avg) | 29 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 229 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 51 |
About this poem
An unnecessary tragedy, I was hoping by this poem to highlight the dangers of runaway superstition, gossip and rumor. “The Witch of Aberdeen” is a poem about a mute, teenage girl who, for whatever reason, lives a reclusive life in an historic period where countless women were accused of witchcraft and condemned to death—and this, sometimes, by vigilante arbiters. The irony of the poem is that, far from being a witch, this homeless girl lived peacefully under God’s Providence. more »
Font size:
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"The Witch of Aberdeen" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/140327/the-witch-of-aberdeen>.
Discuss this John W. May poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In