This is an analysis of the poem So Many Different Lengths Of Time that begins with:

How long does a man live after all?
A thousand days or only one?...

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: AbcXX bcccc accda dcec Xedcc cdfXgfXXAg
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,5,4,5,10,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111011101 01011101 11101100 11101110110 111111111010 0101010101110010 111000100 110100110 111001111 111010001010 1111011101 111111111 111111010 110101 0100110101 01111111101011 1111110010001 11111011 10100010011 01001001101 01001001001 110100100 0100101001 010011010 1010101010 101101 110001111001 101010100010 1011001 111110111 101100101011 111011101 011110100101
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 189
  • Average number of words per stanza: 37
  • Amount of lines: 33
  • Average number of symbols per line: 39 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • 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; or, we, as, his, then are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words for, his, another, then, and are repeated.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase one connects the lines.

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

  • summary of So Many Different Lengths Of Time;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Brian Patten