Analysis of A Short Song of Congratulation



LONG-EXPECTED one and twenty
Ling'ring year at last has flown,
Pomp and pleasure, pride and plenty
Great Sir John, are all your own.

Loosen'd from the minor's tether,
Free to mortgage or to sell,
Wild as wind, and light as feather
Bid the slaves of thrift farewell.

Call the Bettys, Kates, and Jenneys
Ev'ry name that laughs at care,
Lavish of your Grandsire's guineas,
Show the spirit of an heir.

All that prey on vice and folly
Joy to see their quarry fly,
Here the gamester light and jolly
There the lender grave and sly.

Wealth, Sir John, was made to wander,
Let it wander as it will;
See the jocky, see the pander,
Bid them come, and take their fill.

When the bonny blade carouses,
Pockets full, and spirits high,
What are acres? What are houses?
Only dirt, or wet or dry.

If the Guardian or the Mother
Tell the woes of willful waste,
Scorn their counsel and their pother,
You can hang or drown at last.


Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF AGAG CHCH EGEG CXCX
Poetic Form
Metre 10101010 1111111 10101010 1111111 1010110 1110111 11101110 101111 101101 111111 1011110 1010111 11111010 1111101 1011010 1010101 11111110 1110111 1011010 1110111 101011 1010101 11101110 1011111 101001010 1011101 1110011 1111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 916
Words 170
Sentences 10
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 100
Words per stanza (avg) 24
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 30, 2023

52 sec read
364

Samuel Johnson

The Reverend Doctor Samuel Johnson was a clergyman, educator, and philosopher in colonial British North America. more…

All Samuel Johnson poems | Samuel Johnson Books

1 fan

Discuss this Samuel Johnson poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "A Short Song of Congratulation" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Nov. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/34165/a-short-song-of-congratulation>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    November 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    17
    days
    22
    hours
    3
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Which of the following was the last to evolve?
    A Tragedy
    B Invective
    C Dithyramb
    D Epic poetry