This is an analysis of the poem When I Was One-And-Twenty that begins with:

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,... 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: AbcbcXab AdXdaXaX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111110 110111 10111110 111101 1101110 1111010 1111110 110101 1111110 111101 1110010 1101001 1101010 1111010 1111110 111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 223
  • Average number of words per stanza: 45
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 27 (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, 'tis are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word when 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 When I Was One-And-Twenty;
  • 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