This is an analysis of the poem Octogenery Reflections that begins with:

Say, ye who through this round of eighty years
Have proved its joys and sorrows, hopes and fears,—... 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: aabbccddeeeffaaggeeee
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 21,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 1111010100 1101110111 11011100111 110010100101 01000101010 01010101010 0101110111 01010110101 0101010101 0101110101 1101011001 10111001001 1101010111 1011110001 1001011101 11110000101 1101001111 11010101010 01010111010 0111010101 0101111001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 932
  • Average number of words per stanza: 172
  • Amount of lines: 21
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

  • summary of Octogenery Reflections;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Anna Laetitia Barbauld