This is an analysis of the poem The High Priest that begins with:

Nay, why do foolish politicians strive
To win a fleeting popularity?... 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: aXabXcXc bdbdbebe cfcfXXXX gggghbhb cicibXbX ejejdcdc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111010101 0101010100 0101110001 0101010101 1101010101 1111011101 0111010100 1101 0101010111 1101001001 11010010001 1101010111 1111010111 1101001101 11011110101 10001 1111111101 0101010101 0101010101 1100010011 1101110111 1101110111 1101010111 0110 1101001111 1101110101 010011001 1101010111 1111010111 11010111001 0111011101 0111 1001011111 0111110111 0101110111 0111001111 0111110101 0111011101 1111010111 1101 0101100101 010100101 1101010001 100100101 11010110011 1101111111 1101010111 1101
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 329
  • Average number of words per stanza: 59
  • Amount of lines: 48
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; bays is repeated.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines ' is repeated).

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis