This is an analysis of the poem Lines For A Prologue that begins with:

These alternate nights and days, these seasons
Somehow fail to convince me. It seems ...

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: aab cde Xfg agX ace dXd dhX Xbhf
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1100111110 111001101 110100100 011110010 11001001 101110110 111101010000010 11110011 100111001 1111110 1101011 0111011 11010011 00101010010 01001010 01001011 0110010 1111011 110110101 110011101 101010011010 1110100100 1011001 11101100
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 110
  • Average number of words per stanza: 22
  • Amount of lines: 31
  • Average number of symbols per line: 28 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • 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; time, i, it, of are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Lines For A Prologue;
  • 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 MacLeish