This is an analysis of the poem The Better Day that begins with:

Harsh thoughts, blind angers, and fierce hands,
That keep this restless world at strife,... 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: abab cdcd XeXe fdfd agag
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11110111 11010111 11011101 010101 11110111 010001000 10110111 111101 11101111 11000101 11100101 111111 110010001 11010101 11100011 110101 11111111 11011101 11100101 111001
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 135
  • Average number of words per stanza: 26
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • Average number of symbols per line: 33 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, no, but are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words no, where are repeated.

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

  • summary of The Better Day;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Archibald Lampman