This is an analysis of the poem From Top To Bottom that begins with:

O Buddha, had you but foreknown
The vices of your priesthood... 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: Xabacc dedeff dbdbff cgcgcc hdhdii
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 110111100 0100110 01111111 1101011 111100101 11010111 10110101 0111110 11010101 0101110 11011111 11010001 01010011 1101110 00111111 0101010 11011101 11010011 11101101 1111010 11011111 1101010 11010101 11010101 01010101 1100010 01010111 1010010 10010111 01110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 198
  • Average number of words per stanza: 37
  • Amount of lines: 30
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (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; would, to are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of From Top To Bottom;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ambrose Bierce