This is an analysis of the poem If Truth In Hearts That Perish that begins with:

If truth in hearts that perish
Could move the powers on high, ... 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: XaXa bcXc bdXd XeXe
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0101110 1101011 1101111 111101 1101010 010111 0111010 111101 0111110 010001 1111110 010101 1111010 001101 1001110 111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 122
  • Average number of words per stanza: 24
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • 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; to is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of If Truth In Hearts That Perish;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Alfred Edward Housman