Analysis of The Creditor To His Proud Debtor
George Moses Horton 1779 (North Carolina) – 1883
Ha, tott'ring Johny, strut and boast,
But think of what your feathers cost;
Your crowing days are short at most,
You bloom but soon to fade;
Surely you could not stand so wide,
If strictly to the bottom tried,
The wind would blow your plume aside
If half your debts were paid.
Then boast and bear the crack,
With the sheriff at your back;
Huzza for dandy Jack,
My jolly fop, my Joe.
The blue smoke from your segar flies,
Offensive to my nose and eyes;
The most of people would be wise
Your presence to evade;
Your pocket jingles loud with cash,
And thus you cut a foppish dash,
But, alas! dear boy, you would be trash,
If your accounts were paid.
Then boast and bear the crack, &c.
My duck bill boots would look as bright,
Had you in justice served me right;
Like you I then could step as light,
Before a flaunting maid;
As nicely could I clear my throat,
And to my tights my eyes devote;
But I'd leave you bare without that coat,
For which you have not paid.
Then boast and bear the crack, &c.
I'd toss myself with a scornful air,
And to a poor man pay no care;
I could rock cross-leg'd on my chair
Within the cloister shade;
I'd gird my neck with a light cravat,
And creaning wear my bell-crown hat;
But away my down would fly at that,
If once my debts were paid.
Then boast and bear the crack,
With a sheriff at your back;
Huzza for dandy Jack,
My jolly fop, my Joe.
Scheme | axabcccbDdDE fffbgggbH iiibjjjbH kkkballbDdDE |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1110101 11111101 11011111 111111 10111111 11010101 01111101 111101 110101 1010111 11101 110111 01111101 01011101 01110111 110101 11010111 0111011 101111111 110101 1101011 11111111 11010111 11111111 010101 11011111 01111101 111110111 111111 1101011 11110101 01011111 11111111 010101 11111011 0111111 101111111 111101 110101 1010111 11101 110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,377 |
Words | 269 |
Sentences | 10 |
Stanzas | 4 |
Stanza Lengths | 12, 9, 9, 12 |
Lines Amount | 42 |
Letters per line (avg) | 25 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 262 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 67 |
Font size:
Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:22 min read
- 65 Views
Citation
Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"The Creditor To His Proud Debtor" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/15749/the-creditor-to-his-proud-debtor>.
Discuss this George Moses Horton poem analysis with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In