This is an analysis of the poem Ballade Of True Wisdom that begins with:

While others are asking for beauty or fame,
Or praying to know that for which they should pray,... 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: ababbcbC ababbcbC ababbcbC X XcbC
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,1,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 11011011011 11001111111 11011011001 11001001011 01111011001 011010001110 101001011111 1011011010010 01011001101 110010101001 01001001011 101001001011 01001001001 010110011010 101101110011 1011011010010 11101011011 11011011111 001011001001 11101101001 101101001011 0011010110010 111101001101 1011011010010 10 11101011111 101001001101 11011011111 1011011010010
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 267
  • Average number of words per stanza: 53
  • Amount of lines: 29
  • Average number of symbols per line: 45 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; or, and are repeated.

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

    The poet repeated the same word flowers at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of Ballade Of True Wisdom;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Andrew Lang