Analysis of Hadramauti
Who knows the heart of the Christian? How does he reason?
What are his measures and balances? Which is his season
For laughter, forbearance or bloodshed, and what devils move him
When he arises to smite us? I do not love him.
He invites the derision of strangers—he enters all places.
Booted, bareheaded he enters. With shouts and embraces
He asks of us news of the household whom we reckon nameless.
Certainly Allah created him forty-fold shameless!
So it is not in the Desert. One came to me weeping—
The Avenger of Blood on his track—I took him in keeping.
Demanding not whom he had slain, I refreshed him, I fed him
As he were even a brother. But Eblis had bred him.
He was the son of an ape, ill at ease in his clothing.
He talked with his head, hands and feet. I endured him with loathing.
Whatever his spirit conceived his countenance showed it
As a frog shows in a mud-puddle. Yet I abode it!
I fingered my beard and was dumb, in silence confronting him.
His soul was too shallow for silence, e'en with Death hunting him.
I said: "'Tis his weariness speaks," but, when he had rested,
He chirped in my face like some sparrow, and, presently, jested!
Wherefore slew I that stranger? He brought me dishonour.
I saddled my mare, Bijli, I set him upon her.
I gave him rice and goat's flesh. He bared me to laughter.
When he was gone from my tent, swift I followed after,
Taking my sword in my hand. The hot wine had filled him.
Under the stars he mocked me—therefore I killed him!
Scheme | AABBXXCC DDBB DDEE BBXE FFFFBB |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1101101011110 11110010011110 11001011011011 1101011111111 1010010110110110 101110110010 11111101111010 10010010110110 11110010111110 001011111111010 010111111011111 1101001011111 11011111110110 111111011011110 1011001110011 10110011011011 110110110100101 1111101101111101 11111001111110 11011111001001 1111101111 110111111010 1111011111110 1111111111010 1011011011111 10011111111 |
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 1,484 |
Words | 279 |
Sentences | 30 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 4, 4, 4, 6 |
Lines Amount | 26 |
Letters per line (avg) | 44 |
Words per line (avg) | 11 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 230 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 55 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 22, 2023
- 1:24 min read
- 235 Views
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"Hadramauti" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 20 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/33229/hadramauti>.
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