The Cry Of The Children

‘For oh,’ say the children, ‘we are weary,

And we cannot run or leap—

If we cared for any meadows, it were merely

To drop down in them and sleep.

Our knees tremble sorely in the stooping–

We fall upon our faces, trying to go;

And, underneath our heavy eyelids drooping,

The reddest flower would look as pale as snow.

For, all day, we drag our burden tiring,

Through the coal-dark, underground—

Or, all day, we drive the wheels of iron

In the factories, round and round.

‘For, all day, the wheels are droning, turning,—

Their wind comes in our faces,—

Till our hearts turn,—our head, with pulses burning,

And the walls turn in their places—

Turns the sky in the high window blank and reeling—

Turns the long light that droppeth down the wall—

Turn the black flies that crawl along the ceiling—

All are turning, all the day, and we with all,—

And, all day, the iron wheels are droning;

And sometimes we could pray,

‘O ye wheels,’ (breaking out in a mad moaning)

‘Stop! be silent for to-day!’ ‘

    -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Figures of Speech:

Alliteration:

‘For   oh,’ say the children, ‘we are weary, – w

If   we cared for any meadows, it were merely – m

To   dropdown in them and sleep. – d

Our   knees tremble sorely in the stooping— – s

We   fall upon our faces, trying to go; – f

Through the coal-dark, underground – t

Or,   all day, we drive the wheels of iron – d

Till   our hearts turn,—our head, with pulses burning, – h

Turns   the long light that droppeth down  the wall— – d

‘O   ye wheels,’ (breaking out in a mad   moaning) – m

‘Stop! be silent for to-day!’ ‘ – s

Simile:

The   reddest flower would look as pale as snow

Personification:

‘O   ye wheels,’ (breaking out in a mad moaning)

‘Stop!   be silent for to-day!’

Anaphora:

Turns   the sky in the high window blank and reeling—

Turns   the long light that droppeth down the wall—

Turn   the black flies that crawl along the ceiling—

And,   all day, the iron wheels are droning;

And   sometimes we could pray,

Repetition:

In   the factories, round and round.

All   are turning, all the day, and we with all,—

And,   all day, the iron wheels are droning

Rhyme

abcb – Underground, round;

abab – Weary, merely; leap, sleep;   stooping, drooping; go, snow; turning, burning; faces, places; reeling,   ceiling; wall, all; droning, moaning; pray, day;