Analysis of The Dog and the Water Lily. No Fable
William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)
The noon was shady, and soft airs
Swept Ouse’s silent tide,
When, ‘scaped from literary cares,
I wander’d on his side.
My spaniel, prettiest of his race,
And high in pedigree
(Two nymphs adorn’d with every grace
That spaniel found for me),
Now wanton’d lost in flags and reeds,
Now starting into sight,
Pursued the swallow o’er the meads
With scarce a slower flight.
It was the time when Ouse display’d
His lilies newly blown;
Their beauties I intent survey’d,
And one I wish’d my own.
With cane extended far I sought
To steer it close to land;
But still the prize, though nearly caught,
Escaped my eager hand.
Beau mark’d my unsuccessful pains
With fix’d considerate face,
And puzzling set his puppy brains
To comprehend the case.
But with a cherup clear and strong
Dispersing all his dream,
I thence withdrew, and follow’d long
The windings of the stream.
My ramble ended, I return’d;
Beau, trotting far before,
The floating wreath again discern’d,
And plunging, left the shore.
I saw him with that lily cropp’d
Impatient swim to meet
My quick approach, and soon he dropp’d
The treasure at my feet.
Charm’d with the sight, the world, I cried,
Shall hear of this thy deed:
My dog shall mortify the pride
Of man’s superior breed:
But chief myself I will enjoin,
Awake at duty’s call,
To show a love as prompt as thine
To Him who gives me all.
Scheme | ABABCDCDEFEFBGBGHIJIKCKCLMLMBNBNBOBOBPBPQRSR |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 01110011 11101 1111001 11111 110100111 010100 11111001 110111 1110101 110011 01010101 110101 1101111 110101 1101011 011111 11010111 111111 11011101 011101 1110101 1101001 010011101 10101 1101101 010111 1101011 01101 1101011 110101 0101011 010101 11111101 010111 11010111 010111 11010111 111111 1111001 1101001 1111101 01111 11011111 111111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,347 |
Words | 242 |
Sentences | 10 |
Stanzas | 1 |
Stanza Lengths | 44 |
Lines Amount | 44 |
Letters per line (avg) | 24 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 1,042 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 240 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:12 min read
- 131 Views
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"The Dog and the Water Lily. No Fable" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/40136/the-dog-and-the-water-lily.-no-fable>.
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