This is an analysis of The Yellowhammer by John Clare.

When shall I see the white-thorn leaves agen,
And yellowhammers gathering the dry bents…

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Structure

  • Rhyme scheme: XXXaabXbccbccb
  • Stanza lengths: 14,
  • Metre: 1111011110 11000100011 1011110111 1001110001 1001010101 1001011111 1111110101 1011011101 1001011101 1111111101 01001111101 0100010101 0101111101 0101110101
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic pentameter or irregular meter
  • Stanzas: 1
  • Lines: 14