Analysis of On Content
Thomas Parnell 1679 (Dublin) – 1718
Grant heav'n that I may chuse my bliss
If you design me worldly Happiness
Tis not Honour thats but air
Glory has but fancied light
Fame as oft speak's false as right
Riches have wings & ever dwell with care
Give me an undistemperd mind
As ye third region undisturbd by wind
Content from passions ever free
to rule ones selfs indeed a monarchy
this I request of thee
Tho all we see are fortunes apes
& change as oft as she their shapes
Tho my kinder fortune leave me
Tho my dearest friends deceive me
I in this universall tide
firm on heav'ns mercy would abide
& 'mongst ye giddy waves securely ride
Tho they should die
Who never did my love abuse
Perhaps in tears I would my passion vent
But straight again I'de be content
Remembring 'twas th' almighty's deed tho I
should my best relations loose
Ide sighing cry Heav'ns will be done
It did but lend them now it has its own.
Fortune should never be
Adored as a deity by me
She onely makes them fooles who make her great
But still content on earth intent on heav'n I'de be
an equall temper keep in ev'ry state
nor Care nor fear my destiny
Death when most dreadfull should not fright
Wn ere he comes Ide patiently submitt
Content thus in my soul should build its halcyons nest
As did thy spirit on ye waters rest
& keep an everlasting calm with in my breast.
Scheme | XXABBACCDDD EEDDFFFGHIIGHXXDDJDJDBBKKK |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 11111111 1101110100 111111 1011101 1111111 101110111 11111 11110111 10110101 1111010100 110111 11111101 1111111 11101011 11101011 10111 11110101 111010101 1111 11011101 0101111101 110111110 11111111 1110101 11011111 1111111111 101101 011010011 111111101 1110110111111 11101011 11111100 1111111 111111001 10101111111 1111011101 1101011011 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,279 |
Words | 252 |
Sentences | 3 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 11, 26 |
Lines Amount | 37 |
Letters per line (avg) | 28 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 520 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 125 |
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 07, 2023
- 1:18 min read
- 33 Views
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"On Content" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/37035/on-content>.
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