Analysis of The Kansas Emigrants

John Greenleaf Whittier 1807 (Haverhill) – 1892 (Hampton Falls)



THE KANSAS EMIGRANTS.
WE cross the prairie as of old
The pilgrims crossed the sea,
To make the West, as they the East,
The homestead of the free!
We go to rear a wall of men
On Freedom's southern line,
And plant beside the cotton-tree
The rugged Northern pine!
We're flowing from our native hills
As our free rivers flow;
The blessing of our Mother-land
Is on us as we go.
We go to plant her common schools,
On distant prairie swells,
And give the Sabbaths of the wild
The music of her bells.
Upbearing, like the Ark of old,
The Bible in our van,
We go to test the truth of God
Against the fraud of man.
No pause, nor rest, save where the streams
That feed the Kansas run,
Save where our Pilgrim gonfalon
Shall flout the setting sun!
We'll tread the prairie as of old
Our fathers sailed the sea,
And make the West, as they the East,
The homestead of the free!


Scheme abcdCefcfghihjklkbmnmopepbcdC
Poetic Form
Metre 010100 11010111 010101 11011101 01101 11110111 110101 01010101 010101 110110101 1101101 010110101 111111 11110101 110101 01010101 010101 110111 0100101 11110111 010111 11111101 110101 1110101 110101 11010111 1010101 01011101 01101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 839
Words 168
Sentences 9
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 29
Lines Amount 29
Letters per line (avg) 23
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 665
Words per stanza (avg) 166
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 19, 2023

51 sec read
120

John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. more…

All John Greenleaf Whittier poems | John Greenleaf Whittier Books

5 fans

Discuss this John Greenleaf Whittier poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Kansas Emigrants" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/23124/the-kansas-emigrants>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    8
    days
    7
    hours
    2
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    How many lines does a sonnet have?
    A 16
    B 12
    C 14
    D 18