Analysis of The Butterfly and I
Anne Marie Peacock 1948 (Ohio)
One day I met a butterfly
Beneath a somber summer sky.
He fluttered ‘round me silently
As if he didn’t care
That I might try to snatch him up.
Did I even dare?
He could’ve settled peacefully
Upon a nearby rose,
Instead God’s little messenger
Just landed on my nose.
Before my eyes to my surprise
He rested softly there,
In solitude our interlude
Transcended even prayer.
Veiled in pure tranquility
He looked me in the eye
As if to say, “I’d rather sit
And talk to you than fly.”
And so we did, we visited,
This butterfly and I.
“Serenity,” he said to me,
“Asleep within us lies
And happiness in stillness waits
To brighten somber skies
When quietly and patiently
We let these bounties be
Reflections of a grateful heart
Alive and sailing free.”
So with this simple thought in mind
I’m hoping someone else may find
This quiet little butterfly
With gentle spirit flying high
Drifting on his peaceful way
Some sleepy lazy summer day.
My only wish? That little guy,
That tender little butterfly
Instead of lighting on a rose
Will land on someone else’s nose.
Scheme | AABCXC BDXDECXC BAXAXA BEXEBBXB FFAAGGAADD |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 1111010 01010101 11011100 11111 11111111 11101 1110100 010111 01110100 110111 01111101 110101 0101010 010101 1010100 111001 11111101 011111 01111100 11001 01001111 010111 01000101 110101 11000100 111101 01010101 010101 11110101 1101111 1101010 11010101 1011101 11010101 11011101 1101010 01110101 1111101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,091 |
Words | 212 |
Sentences | 11 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 8, 6, 8, 10 |
Lines Amount | 38 |
Letters per line (avg) | 22 |
Words per line (avg) | 5 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 167 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 38 |
About this poem
During a time of great personal struggle, I was astounded when a butterfly landed on my nose. After what seemed a very long time, I was miraculously transformed by the experience. This poem inexplicably flowed through me from a power greater than myself.
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Written on 1980
Submitted by annem.33962 on March 28, 2024
Modified by annem.33962 on March 28, 2024
- 1:03 min read
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"The Butterfly and I" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/183896/the-butterfly-and-i>.
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