Analysis of Homesick



I set out on the road again, to the twists of the bidden way,
where the trees bend and the forks end in the wrath of a crooked fray;
where the crows sigh and the wolves reply in a savage hunting tune,
while the heinous shades of the wild wood blot out the watchful moon.

I set out on the road again, for the hope of a small retreat,
from the mortal hill and the winter chill for the relief of weary feet.
And all I have is this waxen flame to light the lonely road,
which wanders on till it comes upon the sight of that warm abode.

I set out on the road again, to keep the flame about,
and weather the pains of biting rains and soften thunder’s shout;
all for the hope of that little shack, the place I trust my life,
where love abounds in persons two: my child and my wife.


Scheme AABB CCDD EEFF
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 1111010110110101 1011001100110101 1011001010010101 101011011110101 1111010110110101 101010010110011101 01111111110101 1101111010111101 11110101110101 010011101010101 110111101011111 1101010111011
Closest metre Iambic octameter
Characters 779
Words 170
Sentences 4
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 12
Letters per line (avg) 50
Words per line (avg) 13
Letters per stanza (avg) 200
Words per stanza (avg) 52

About this poem

A feeling for driving home at night

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Submitted by mattmflanders on May 05, 2023

51 sec read
371

Matthew Flanders

I am a husband and father living in Baton Rouge, LA working on a doctorate in history. I write poetry in my spare time when either 1) I find inspiration or 2) I'm procrastinating grading papers. more…

All Matthew Flanders poems | Matthew Flanders Books

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