Nightsong by Adrian Henri: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Nightsong that begins with:

So we'll go no more a-raving
So late into the night...

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: abab abab XcXc adad aeae
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11111010 110001 10101110 101011 11101010 1001011 10101110 1011101 11111110 1010101 11101010 1110101 11111010 1110111 11100110 1110111 10101110 1010111 11111010 101001
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 122
  • Average number of words per stanza: 24
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (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; so, no, more are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words so, no are repeated.

    The author used the same word no at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

  • summary of Nightsong;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Adrian Henri

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