Analysis of How I Go to the Woods

Mary Oliver 1935 (Maple Heights, OH) – 2019 (Hobe Sound, FL)



Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single
friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and
therefore
unsuitable.

I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the
catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of
praying, as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can
sit
on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost
unhearable sound of the roses singing.

If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love
you very much.


Scheme AXXA XBCB XXBXX CX
Poetic Form Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 0100111010111010 1111110100 1 0100 1110111101010 1 1100111111111 10111111 01111011101010011 1 1011011100111011 01010110111101 11101010 11110110111111 1101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 564
Words 117
Sentences 7
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 5, 2
Lines Amount 15
Letters per line (avg) 29
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 109
Words per stanza (avg) 28

About this poem

reverence and stillness

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Submitted by JokerGem on February 07, 2023

Modified on May 03, 2023

35 sec read
1,414

Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver was an award-winning poet with fans throughout the world. In addition to her numerous literary prizes, as noted by New York Times, Oliver was, "far and away, this country's best-selling poet." more…

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