Analysis of In Sutton Woods
Alfred Austin 1835 (Leeds) – 1913 (Ashford)
There-peace once more; the restless roar
Of troubled cities dies away.
``Welcome to our broad shade once more,''
The dear old woodlands seem to say.
The sweet suggestions of the wind,
That spake in whispers, now are stilled;
The songless branches all remind
That summer's glory is fulfilled.
The petulant plaint of falling leaves
Dimples the leaden pool awhile;
So Age, impassive, but receives
Youth's tale of troubles with a smile.
O fallen leaves! O feelings dead!
O dimpled pool! O scornful lips!
O hardening of the heart and head!-
The summer's and the soul's eclipse!
Thus, as the seasons slip away,
How much is schemed, how little done!
What splendid plans at break of day!
What void regrets at set of sun!
The world goes round, for you, for me,
For him who sits, for him who strives,
And the great Fates indifferent see
The rage or respite of our lives.
Then fall, ye leaves! die out, thou breeze!
Grow sedges thick on every pool!
Let each old rushing impulse freeze,
Let each old generous friendship cool.
It is not love, it is not worth,
Self-sacrifice, or yearnings true,
Make the dull devotees of earth
Prostrate themselves and worship you.
The savage consciousness of powers,
The selfish purpose, stubborn will,
Have ever, in this world of ours,
Achieved success-achieve it still.
Farewell, ye woods! no more I sit;
Great voices in the distance call:
If this be peace-enough of it.
I go. Fall, unseen foliage, fall!
Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH BIBI JXJX KLKL MNMN OPOP QRQR |
---|---|
Poetic Form | Quatrain (90%) Etheree (28%) Tetractys (20%) |
Metre | 11110101 11010101 101101111 0111111 01010101 11010111 0110101 11010101 010011101 10010101 11010101 11110101 11011101 11011101 110010101 01000101 11010101 11111101 11011111 11011111 01111111 11111111 00110101 011101101 11111111 11111001 11110101 111100101 11111111 1101101 10110111 10010101 010100110 01010101 110011110 01010111 1111111 11000101 11110111 11101101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,396 |
Words | 251 |
Sentences | 25 |
Stanzas | 10 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 40 |
Letters per line (avg) | 28 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 111 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 25 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:16 min read
- 45 Views
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"In Sutton Woods" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/742/in-sutton-woods>.
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