This is an analysis of the poem What Are Heavy? Sea-Sand And Sorrow that begins with:

What are heavy? Sea-sand and sorrow:
What are brief? To-day and to-morrow: ... 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: aabb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111011110 111011010 111011011 11101011
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 156
  • Average number of words per stanza: 29
  • Amount of lines: 4
  • Average number of symbols per line: 38 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • 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; what, and are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of What Are Heavy? Sea-Sand And Sorrow;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Christina Georgina Rossetti