This is an analysis of the poem But Wise Men Perceive Approaching Things that begins with:

Because gods perceive future things, men what is happening now,
but wise men perceive approaching things....

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: ab X acXXX bcXXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 2,1,5,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 011011011101001 111010101 100010100001011 11101001 011010010 0111100011 001011101 0101110 0011010010 01010010 001001100 11100100111 10101011011
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 136
  • Average number of words per stanza: 22
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 38 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; of is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of But Wise Men Perceive Approaching Things;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Constantine P. Cavafy