This is an analysis of the poem The Boy Enlists that begins with:

His mother's eyes are saddened, and her cheeks
are stained with tears,...

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: Xabacdd efgfhdd Xcicieae Xjbjhggg
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,7,8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101110101 1101 1010101011 10100 10111110101 0001 101000101010100 110101000101 11 1111111010 10111 11111110111 1111 10010101010101 1110101010 11111 111010100010 0101 111011101010 101 1110101011101 11 111110100010 101 1100101000110 11 101111101 011101 1011111011 10101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 246
  • Average number of words per stanza: 50
  • Amount of lines: 30
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, i are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word he is repeated.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of The Boy Enlists;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edgar Albert Guest