The Mocking-Bird
Nor did lackSweet music to the magic of the scene:The little crimson-breasted NonpareilWas there, his tiny feet scarce bending downThe silken tendril that he lighted onTo pour his love notes; and in russet coat,Most homely, like true genius bursting forthIn spite of adverse fortune, a full choirWithin himself, the merry Mock Bird sate,Filling the air with melody; and at times,
Words in this poem
- nonpareil n.
- Something of unequaled excellence; a peerless thing or person; a nonesuch; -- often used as a name. [See Nonpareil, a.]
- scarce a.
- Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon. [OE. scars, OF. escars, eschars, LL. scarpsus, for L. excerptus, p. p. of excerpere to pick out, and hence to contract, to shorten; ex (see Ex-) + carpere. See C]
- homely a.
- Belonging to, or having the characteristics of, home; domestic; familiar; intimate. [From Home, n.]
- sate v. t.
- To satisfy the desire or appetite of; to satiate; to glut; to surfeit. [Probably shortened fr. satiate: cf. L. satus full. See Satiate.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Mocking-Bird is in the public domain. This text is taken from Poems of Henry Timrod; with Memoir, Project Gutenberg ebook #845; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Henry Timrod, The Mocking-Bird, in Poems (1860–1867), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #845, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/timrod-poems/the-mocking-bird.html, id L10442.
Form and metre
The Mocking-Bird is 10 lines in a single verse paragraph. It is unrhymed, as far as the pronouncing dictionary can tell. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 86%). 95% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 9.4 syllables. 1 line ends on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 60% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in iambic pentameter, other poems in blank verse.
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.
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. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Nor did lack | 3 | ··· |
| Sweet music to the magic of the scene: | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| The little crimson-breasted Nonpareil | 10 | ·/˘/˘/˘··· |
| Was there, his tiny feet scarce bending down | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| The silken tendril that he lighted on | 10 | ·/˘/˘··/˘· |
| To pour his love notes; and in russet coat, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Most homely, like true genius bursting forth | 10 | ·/˘··/˘/˘· |
| In spite of adverse fortune, a full choir | 11 | ···/·/˘··/˘ |
| Within himself, the merry Mock Bird sate, | 10 | ··˘/·/˘··· |
| Filling the air with melody; and at times, | 10 | /˘···/˘··· |
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.