A New Species of Poetry
If I were used to writing verse,And had a Muse not so perverse,But prompt at Fancy’s call to springAnd Carol like a bird in Spring;Or like a Bee, in summer time,That hums about a bed of thyme,And gathers honey and delightsFrom ev’ry blossom where it ‘lights;If I, alas! had such a Muse,To touch the Reader or amuse,And breathe the true poetic vein,This page should not be fill’d in vain!But ah! the power was never mineTo dig for gems in Fancy’s mine:Or wander over land and mainTo seek the Fairies’ old domain--To watch Apollo while he climbsHis throne in oriental climes;Or mark the “gradual dusky veil”Drawn over Tempé’s tuneful vale,In classic lays remembered long--Such flights to bolder wings belong;To Bards who on that glorious height,Of sun and song, Parnassus hight,Partake the fire divine that burns, }In Milton, Pope, and Scottish Burns, }Who sang his native braes and burns. }
For me a novice strange and new,Who ne’er such inspiration knew,But weave a verse with travail sore,Ordain’d to creep and not to soar,A few poor lines alone I write,Fulfilling thus a friendly rite,Not meant to meet the Critic’s eye,For oh! to hope from such as I,For anything that’s fit to read,Were trusting to a broken reed!
Little Children skip,The rope so gaily gripping,Tom and Harry,Jane and Mary,Kate, Diana,Susan, Anna,All are fond of skipping!
The Grasshoppers all skip,The early dew-drop sipping,Under, over,Bent and clover,Daisy, sorrel,Without quarrel,All are fond of skipping!
The tiny Fairies skip,At midnight softly tripping;Puck and Peri,Never weary,With an antic,Quite romantic,All are fond of skipping!
The little Boats they skip,Beside the heavy Shipping,While the squallingWinds are calling,Falling, rising,Rising, falling,All are fond of skipping!
The pale Diana skips,The silver billows tipping,With a dancingLustre glancingTo the motionOf the ocean--All are fond of skipping!
The little Flounders skip,When they feel the dripping;Scorching, frying,Jumping, tryingIf there is notAny shying,All are fond of skipping!
The very Dogs they skip,While threatened with a whipping,Wheeling, prancing,Learning dancing,To a measure,What a pleasure!All are fond of skipping!
The little Fleas they skip,And nightly come a nipping,Lord and Lady,Jude and Thady,In the nightSo dark and shady--All are fond of skipping!
The Autumn Leaves they skip;When blasts the trees are stripping;Bounding, whirling,Sweeping, twirling,And in wantonMazes curling,All are fond of skipping!
The Apparitions skip,Some mortal grievance ripping,Thorough manyA crack and cranny,And the keyholeGood as any--Are all fond of skipping!
But oh! how Readers skip,In heavy volumes dipping!* * * * * and* * * * and* * * andAll are fond of skipping!
Words in this poem 27
- carol v. t.
- To praise or celebrate in song.
- amuse v. t.
- To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [F. amuser to make stay, to detain, to amuse, ad) + OF. muser. See Muse, v.]
- tuneful a.
- Harmonious; melodious; musical; as, tuneful notes.
- vale n.
- A tract of low ground, or of land between hills; a valley. [OE. val, F. val, L. vallis; perhaps akin to Gr. Avalanche, Vail to lower, Valley.]
- classic a.
- Of or relating to the first class or rank, especially in literature or art. [L. classicus relating to the classes of the Roman people, and especially to the frist class; hence, of the first rank, superior, from classis class: cf. F. clas]
- glorious a.
- Exhibiting attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory; noble; praiseworthy; excellent; splendid; illustrious; inspiring admiration; as, glorious deeds. [OF. glorios, glorious, F. glorieux, fr. L. gloriosus. See Glory, n.]
- parnassus n.
- A mountain in Greece, sacred to Apollo and the Muses, and famous for a temple of Apollo and for the Castalian spring. Grass of Parnassus. (Bot.) See under Grass, and Parnassia.
- hight v. t.
- To be called or named. [OE. heiten, highten, haten, hoten; also hight, hatte, hette, is called, was called, AS. hatan to call, name, be called, to command, promise; also hatte is calle]
- gaily adv.
- Merrily; showily. See gaily. [From Gay.]
- harry v. i.
- To make a predatory incursion; to plunder or lay waste.
- jane n.
- A coin of Genoa; any small coin. [LL. Janua Genoa; L. Genua, also OE. Jean.]
- kate n.
- The brambling finch.
- diana n.
- The daughter of Jupiter and Latona; a virgin goddess who presided over hunting, chastity, and marriage; -- identified with the Greek goddess Artemis. [L. Diana.]
- anna n.
- An East Indian money of account, the sixteenth of a rupee, or about 2 [Hindi ana.]
- puck n.
- A celebrated fairy, [OE. pouke; cf. OSw. puke, Icel. puki an evil demon, W. pwca a hobgoblin. Cf. Poker a bugbear, Pug.]
- peri n.
- An imaginary being, male or female, like an elf or fairy, represented as a descendant of fallen angels, excluded from paradise till penance is accomplished. Moore. [Per. peri a female genus, a fairy.]
- antic v. t.
- To make appear like a buffoon.
- tipping n.
- A distinct articulation given in playing quick notes on the flute, by striking the tongue against the roof of the mouth; double- tonguing.
- lustre n.
- A period of five years; a lustrum. [L. lustrum: cf. F. lustre.]
- glancing a.
- Shooting, as light.
- dripping n.
- A falling in drops, or the sound so made.
- scorching a.
- Burning; parching or shriveling with heat.
- wheeling n.
- The act of conveying anything, or traveling, on wheels, or in a wheeled vehicle.
- nightly a.
- Of or pertaining to the night, or to every night; happening or done by night, or every night; as, nightly shades; he kept nightly vigils.
- grievance n.
- A cause of uneasiness and complaint; a wrong done and suffered; that which gives ground for remonstrance or resistance, as arising from injustice, tyranny, etc.; injury. [OF. grcvance. See Grieve, v. t.]
- cranny n.
- A small, narrow opening, fissure, crevice, or chink, as in a wall, or other substance. [F. cran notch, prob. from L. crena (a doubful word).]
- keyhole n.
- A hole or apertupe in a door or lock, for receiving a key.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
A New Species of Poetry is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Comic Poems of Thomas Hood A New and Complete Edition, Project Gutenberg ebook #56712; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Thomas Hood, A New Species of Poetry, in Poems (1827–1845), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #56712, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/hood-poems/a-new-species-of-poetry.html, id L06751.
Form and metre
A New Species of Poetry is 113 lines in 13 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 55% of the lines. 99% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 5.9 syllables. 57 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 19% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in rhyming couplets.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AABBCCDDEEFFGGFFHHIIJJKKLLL verseA · perverseA · springB · springB · timeC · thymeC · delightsD · lightsD · museE · amuseE · veinF · vainF · mineG · mineG · mainF · domainF · climbsH · climesH · veilI · valeI · longJ · belongJ · heightK · hightK · — · — · —
- 2 AABBCCDDEE newA · knewA · soreB · soarB · writeC · riteC · eyeD · iD · readE · reedE
- 3 -ABBCCA skip · grippingA · harryB · maryB · dianaC · annaC · skippingA
- 4 -ABBCCA skip · sippingA · overB · cloverB · sorrelC · quarrelC · skippingA
- 5 -A--BBA skip · trippingA · peri · weary · anticB · romanticB · skippingA
- 6 -ABB--A skip · shippingA · squallingB · callingB · rising · falling · skippingA
- 7 -ABBCCA skips · tippingA · dancingB · glancingB · motionC · oceanC · skippingA
- 8 -ABB-BA skip · drippingA · fryingB · tryingB · not · shyingB · skippingA
- 9 -ABBCCA skip · whippingA · prancingB · dancingB · measureC · pleasureC · skippingA
- 10 -AB--BA skip · nippingA · ladyB · thady · night · shadyB · skippingA
- 11 -ABB-BA skip · strippingA · whirlingB · twirlingB · wanton · curlingB · skippingA
- 12 -AB--BA skip · rippingA · manyB · cranny · keyhole · anyB · skippingA
- 13 -ABBBA skip · dippingA · andB · andB · andB · skippingA
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| If I were used to writing verse, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| And had a Muse not so perverse, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| But prompt at Fancy’s call to spring | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And Carol like a bird in Spring; | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Or like a Bee, in summer time, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| That hums about a bed of thyme, | 8 | ········ |
| And gathers honey and delights | 8 | ·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| From ev’ry blossom where it ‘lights; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| If I, alas! had such a Muse, | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| To touch the Reader or amuse, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| And breathe the true poetic vein, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| This page should not be fill’d in vain! | 8 | ········ |
| But ah! the power was never mine | 8 | ···/·/˘· |
| To dig for gems in Fancy’s mine: | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Or wander over land and main | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| To seek the Fairies’ old domain-- | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| To watch Apollo while he climbs | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| His throne in oriental climes; | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Or mark the “gradual dusky veil” | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| Drawn over Tempé’s tuneful vale, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| In classic lays remembered long-- | 8 | ·/˘·˘/˘· |
| Such flights to bolder wings belong; | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| To Bards who on that glorious height, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Of sun and song, Parnassus hight, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Partake the fire divine that burns, } | 8 | ˘/·/˘/·· |
| In Milton, Pope, and Scottish Burns, } | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Who sang his native braes and burns. } | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| For me a novice strange and new, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Who ne’er such inspiration knew, | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| But weave a verse with travail sore, | 8 | ·····˘/· |
| Ordain’d to creep and not to soar, | 8 | ˘/······ |
| A few poor lines alone I write, | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| Fulfilling thus a friendly rite, | 8 | ˘/˘··/˘· |
| Not meant to meet the Critic’s eye, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| For oh! to hope from such as I, | 8 | ········ |
| For anything that’s fit to read, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Were trusting to a broken reed! | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| Little Children skip, | 5 | /˘/˘· |
| The rope so gaily gripping, | 7 | ···/˘/˘ |
| Tom and Harry, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Jane and Mary, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Kate, Diana, | 4 | ·˘/˘ |
| Susan, Anna, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The Grasshoppers all skip, | 6 | ·/·˘·· |
| The early dew-drop sipping, | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| Under, over, | 4 | ···· |
| Bent and clover, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Daisy, sorrel, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| Without quarrel, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The tiny Fairies skip, | 6 | ·/˘/˘· |
| At midnight softly tripping; | 7 | ·/·/˘/˘ |
| Puck and Peri, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Never weary, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| With an antic, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Quite romantic, | 4 | ·˘/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The little Boats they skip, | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Beside the heavy Shipping, | 7 | ˘/·/˘/˘ |
| While the squalling | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Winds are calling, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Falling, rising, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| Rising, falling, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The pale Diana skips, | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| The silver billows tipping, | 7 | ·/˘/˘/˘ |
| With a dancing | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Lustre glancing | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| To the motion | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Of the ocean-- | 4 | ··/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The little Flounders skip, | 6 | ·/˘/˘· |
| When they feel the dripping; | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Scorching, frying, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| Jumping, trying | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| If there is not | 4 | ···· |
| Any shying, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The very Dogs they skip, | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| While threatened with a whipping, | 8 | ·/˘˘··/˘ |
| Wheeling, prancing, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| Learning dancing, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| To a measure, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| What a pleasure! | 4 | ··/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The little Fleas they skip, | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| And nightly come a nipping, | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| Lord and Lady, | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Jude and Thady, | 4 | ···· |
| In the night | 3 | ··· |
| So dark and shady-- | 5 | ···/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The Autumn Leaves they skip; | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| When blasts the trees are stripping; | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Bounding, whirling, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| Sweeping, twirling, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| And in wanton | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Mazes curling, | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| The Apparitions skip, | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| Some mortal grievance ripping, | 7 | ·/˘/˘/˘ |
| Thorough many | 4 | /˘/˘ |
| A crack and cranny, | 5 | ···/˘ |
| And the keyhole | 4 | ··/· |
| Good as any-- | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Are all fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| But oh! how Readers skip, | 6 | ···/˘· |
| In heavy volumes dipping! | 7 | ·/˘/˘/˘ |
| * * * * * and | 1 | · |
| * * * * and | 1 | · |
| * * * and | 1 | · |
| All are fond of skipping! | 6 | ····/˘ |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.