Analysis of A Ripple Song
Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)
Once red ripple came to land
In the golden sunset burning--
Lapped against a maiden's hand,
By the ford returning.
Dainty foot and gentle breast--
Here, across, be glad and rest.
"Maiden, wait," the ripple saith;
"Wait awhile, for I am Death!"
"Where my lover calls I go--
Shame it were to treat him coldly--
'Twas a fish that circled so,
Turning over boldly."
Dainty foot and tender heart,
Wait the loaded ferry-raft.
"Wait, ah, wait!" the ripple saith;
"Maiden, wait, for I am Death!"
"When my lover calls I haste--
Dame Disdain was never wedded!"
Ripple-ripple round her waist,
Clear the current eddied.
Foolish heart and faithful hand,
Little feet that touched no land.
Far away the ripple sped,
Ripple-ripple running red!
Scheme | ABAB CCDD EFEF XXDD GXGA AAHH |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (83%) |
Metre | 1110111 0010110 101011 101010 1010101 1011101 1010101 1011111 1110111 11011110 1011101 101010 1010101 1010101 1110101 1011111 1110111 10111010 1010101 10101 1010101 1011111 1010101 1010101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 714 |
Words | 131 |
Sentences | 12 |
Stanzas | 6 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 24 |
Letters per line (avg) | 23 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 92 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 21 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 15, 2023
- 37 sec read
- 170 Views
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