This is an analysis of the poem If Only You Knew It that begins with:

I dare never speak up to you,
For you to look down would not do,...

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: aabbccC ddeeccCXbbbbccC
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,15,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11101101 11011111 11111111 11111001 111110111010 110110111010 010110 11001101 11001111 11111001 11111111 111111011110 111011011010 010110 10111010 01011111 11001111 11111011 111010011010 110011011110 010110
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 257
  • Average number of words per stanza: 53
  • Amount of lines: 21
  • Average number of symbols per line: 36 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines it is repeated).

    The poet repeated the same word it 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 If Only You Knew It;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson