Enough Rope
Parker's first book of verse, the 1926 bestseller of short poems about love, bad luck and giving up.
Measured across the book
Across its 1,393 lines, 93% of stressed syllables fall on the beat (95% interval 92% to 94%). Alliteration runs at 1.19 times what shuffling the words would give (0.32 observed against 0.27 expected). 26% of the lines have a feminine ending.
Baselines and intervals are described in the methods.
Contents
Threnodytrochaic trimeter · ABABCDCD · 24 linesThe Small Hourscommon measure · ABAB · 8 linesThe False Friendscommon measure · ABAB · 16 linesThe Triflertrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesA Very Short Songtrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 8 linesA Well-Worn Storycommon measure · ABAB · 20 linesConvalescenttrochaic pentameter · ABAB · 16 linesThe Dark Girl's Rhymetrochaic trimeter · ABAB · 36 linesEpitaphiambic pentameter · AABB · 12 linesLight of Loveiambic trimeter · ABAB · 16 linesWailtrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 linesThe Satin Dresstrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 24 linesSomebody's Songtrochaic tetrameter · ABBACCCA · 24 linesAnecdote4 linesBraggartcommon measure · ABAB · 20 linesEpitaph for a Darling Ladytrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 linesTo a Much Too Unfortunate Ladytrochaic tetrameter · AABBCCDDEE · 20 linesPathstrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesHearthsidetrochaic tetrameter · AABCBC · 24 linesThe New Lovetrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 linesRainy Nighttrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 36 linesFor a Sad LadyABAB · 4 linesRecurrencetrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesStory of Mrs. W--iambic tetrameter · ABAB · 20 linesThe Dramatistsiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 16 linesAugusttrochaic tetrameter · ABBCADDC · 16 linesThe White Ladycommon measure · ABAB · 16 linesI Know I Have Been Happiestiambic pentameter · 14 linesTestamentiambic pentameter · 14 lines"I Shall Come Back"iambic pentameter · 14 linesCondolenceiambic pentameter · 14 linesThe Immortalsiambic pentameter · 14 linesA Portraitiambic pentameter · 14 linesPortrait of the Artistiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 linesChant for Dark Hourstrochaic dimeter · 24 linesUnfortunate Coincidencetrochaic tetrameter · 6 linesVerse Reporting Late Arrival at a Conclusionanapaestic tetrameter · 16 linesInventoryAABB · 8 linesNow at Libertyiambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 24 linesComment4 linesPleaiambic pentameter · ABABCDCD · 18 linesPatterntrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 linesDe ProfundisAABB · 4 linesThey Partcommon measure · 12 linesBallade of a Great Wearinessiambic pentameter · ABABBCBC · 28 linesRésumétrochaic dimeter · ABABCDCD · 8 linesRenunciationtrochaic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 16 linesDay-Dreamsiambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 32 linesThe Veteraniambic tetrameter · AABBCC · 14 linesProphetic SoulABAB · 4 linesVerse for a Certain Dogiambic pentameter · ABABCDCD · 24 linesFolk Tunetrochaic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 16 linesGodspeedABAB · 4 linesSong of Perfect Proprietyiambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 32 linesSocial Notetrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 8 linesOne Perfect Roseiambic pentameter · ABAB · 12 linesBallade at Thirty-Fivedactylic trimeter · 28 linesThe Thin Edgeiambic tetrameter · ABABAB · 6 linesSpring Song (in the expected manner)trochaic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 16 linesLove Songiambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 24 linesIndian Summercommon measure · ABAB · 8 linesPhilosophyABAB · 4 linesFor an Unknown Ladytrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 20 linesThe Lealcommon measure · 8 linesFinistrochaic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 16 linesWords of Comfort to be Scratched on a MirrorABAB · 4 linesMeniambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 linesNews Item2 linesSong of One of the Girlsdactylic trimeter · 12 linesLullabydactylic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 24 linesFaut de MieuxABAB · 4 linesRoundeliambic pentameter · 12 linesA Certain Ladyiambic pentameter · ABABCDCDEFEF · 24 linesObservationiambic tetrameter · AABB · 8 linesSymptom Recitaliambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 linesFighting Wordstrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 10 linesRondeau Redoublé (and scarcely worth the trouble, at that)iambic pentameter · ABAB · 25 linesAutobiography4 linesThe Choicedactylic trimeter · ABABCDCD · 16 linesBallade of Big Planstrochaic tetrameter · ABABBCBC · 28 linesGeneral Review of the Sex Situationtrochaic tetrameter · AABB · 8 linesInscription for the Ceiling of a Bedroomtrochaic tetrameter · AABBCCDDEE · 20 linesPictures in the SmokeABAB · 4 linesBiographiesAABBCCDDEEFF · 60 linesNocturneABABCDCD · 16 linesInterviewiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 linesSong in a Minor Keyiambic pentameter · 16 linesExperienceABAB · 4 linesNeither Bloody nor Bowediambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 linesThe Burned Childtrochaic tetrameter · ABAB · 12 lines
About this text
Public domain. Text from Enough Rope: Poems, Project Gutenberg ebook #68353. Free to read, print, copy and reuse.