這首詩每節都是四行。整首詩十七節,六十八行,共分四部分,每部份皆以句點標明,除第一部份外,其餘每部分開頭第一個字的第一個字母多為大寫。1-4節為第一部分;5-8節為第二部分;9-12節為第三部份;13-17節為第四部分。
每部分的基本結構多為 my
father through . . . singing,雖然這並非一成不變。且看各部分開頭一節,就可明白以上所說的特
色:
第一部分 (第一節,1-4行)
my
father moved through dooms of love
through sames of am through haves of give,
singing each morning out of each
night
moved through depths of height
第二部分 (第
五節,17-20行)
Lifting
the valleys of the sea
my father moved through griefs of
joy;
praising a forehead called the moon
singing desire into begin
第三部分 (第
九節,33-36行)
Scorning
the pomp of must and shall
my father moved through dooms of
feel;
his anger was as green as rain
his pity was as green as grain
第四部分 (第
十三節,49一52行)
my
father moved throgh theys of we,
singing each new Ieaf out of each
tree
(and every child was sure thats pring
danced when she heard my father sing)
第一部分的開頭"my"並沒有大寫,但這
並無關緊要,因為它的前頭並無詩行,不會搞亂。除了第三部分而外,其餘各部分的基本結構皆為 my father moved through
. . . singing。關於標點符號的運用最宜注意的是本詩最末一行"love is the whole and
more than all" 沒有標上句點,這或許是隱指我父的愛 無涯無盡之故。
大致說來,這首詩多以抑揚格四音步 (iambic tetrameter) 寫
成。每兩行押韻 (即pcouplet,對句)。但多為不完全韻 ( imperfect rhyme),
如: love和
give
(1-2);where和here (5-6);which和 touch(9-10)等
等。
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