This is an analysis of the poem The Memory of Elena that begins with:

We spend our morning
in the flower stalls counting ...

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: aabacXXd XebXf Xecdbdbf feabXcXffbfd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,5,8,12,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11110 0010110 01101 110110 10100110 110101110 1111101 1100011 01010101 0010101101 1000101 1001111 110101 111010 1000101 011010 01010101 110001011 010111 100110 01100110 00110001 10101101 010100001 001001101 011001 01010010 1101011 0100101 10111 1001111 10110010
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 205
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Carolyn Forché