This is an analysis of the poem A Year's Carols that begins with:

JANUARY
HAIL, January, that bearest here... 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: abbcddcee abbXffghh XiijXkjcc liiikkihh jkkdffdjj cddghhgmm jiikjjkcX dhhihhihh nffcoocbb ncciddidd nllhpphjjXnhhciicjj
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9,19,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 1010 110101101 11010111 11110001 11110111 10111101 11111101 11010111 1110101 1010 110100101 11110101 110101011 01111101 01110101 11010111 11110101 11011101 1 11011111 11010101 110101111 110111110 11011111 11111111 111101011 010101001 10 11011111 11010101 11101111 11010111 01110111 1101111011 010111010 1101001110 1 11111111 11011101 01010101 111100101 110001001 11111101 11011111 01001001001 1 11010101 01001101 01010101 111111001 11010111 0101101001 11010101 11110101 01 11011101 110011101 11110011 11010001 11000101 11010101 001010101 110100100 10 11010101 11011111 11011101 11011111 01011101 01010111 01010011 11011101 010 11010111 01011101 010100111 110011101 011101001 11011111 111001001 01011111 010 01000101 11010111 10010011 110011001 111100111 11110101 110011111 01111101 010 11010111 11010111 110011001 11001101 11010111 110011101 11010111 11111110 010 010111001 1100111001 11010001 01010111 110010111 11011101 01011101 11111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 12
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 319
  • Average number of words per stanza: 55
  • Amount of lines: 108
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (medium-length strings)
  • 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, may, of are repeated.

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

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The words/phrases october, december connect the lines.

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

  • summary of A Year's Carols;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Algernon Charles Swinburne