This is an analysis of the poem A Message that begins with:

It was about the midnight hour,
I heard the wind go by:...

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: ababcdcd efefgcgc hbhbibib
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 010101110 110111 111011010 110111 11110101 111101 010100001 1111 11010111 111101 11010111 110101 11111111 111111 10010111 10101 11111111 111111 01110111 111101 11111011 101111 11111111 0111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 247
  • Average number of words per stanza: 49
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (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; you, i are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of A Message;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Cicely Fox Smith