The Missing Star by Augusta Davies Webster: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem The Missing Star that begins with:

WHY did the star leave the sky,
The far, pure sky?... 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: aabbcacb bbddbbbd eeffaeXfa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1001101 0111 111111011 111100111 111111 11101 100111111 00101 1011111 1111 111101101 110100101 110111 11111 110100101 00101 1101011 1111 1001101001 101100100 111111 10101 1101 10111 101000
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 239
  • Average number of words per stanza: 49
  • Amount of lines: 25
  • 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; she is repeated.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines sky, star, light are repeated).

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Augusta Davies Webster

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