This is an analysis of the poem The North Atlantic Trade that begins with:

As I was walking beside the docks I met a pal o' mine
I sailed with once on the Colonies' run in Thomson's White Star Line;...

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: aabbccbX ddccbbbX eeffggbX hhXXiibX aajjjjbX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111100101110111 1101101001010111 1111111101101111 1100101110010101 1101111011111101 10101101011110001 1110110100111010011 01011110100101010 111101011110101 11101001110001 101111111111101111 1011110111110111 1011111111011111 1010001010111111 101110011110110111 101001110000101010 111101101101101101 0101001111110001 1111011110111100 11111001011111001 111111011111101001 1011110010100100111 111011100110101 100101100100101010 11001110111010010 111101001111010 11011010110111110 11111010111101110 010111011010111 1111000101100101011 11011111110111 111111100100101010 1100111011011101 10111001111010101 111101111100101 1011101101111111 111101011111001 1111001011011101 11101011111100011 011101010100101010
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 565
  • Average number of words per stanza: 113
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 70 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 14
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i, we, bit, an', as, same, old, of, their, to are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words an', she are repeated.

    The author used the same word 'and at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word ' 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 The North Atlantic Trade;
  • 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