This is an analysis of the poem Ghosts Of The Old Year that begins with:

The snow has ceased its fluttering flight,
The wind sunk to a whisper light,... full text

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: aaabcccb dddaeeea fffXgggX gggahhha
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 011101001 01100101 110010101 0101 11011101 11010001 11010111 1111 11010101 11010111 10110101 0101 11010101 01110111 01010111 1101 01011011 01010101 01001011 100100 010100101 01011101 01011101 01100 11001101 11010101 11010101 1001 11010101 110110011 01010011 10011
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 253
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words the, it, of are repeated.

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

  • summary of Ghosts Of The Old Year;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by James Weldon Johnson