This is an analysis of the poem An Old Song Ended that begins with:

“How should I your true love know
From another one?”... 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: abXXacbcXdXdXefefcXc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 20,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111111 00101 1010111 10101 1111111 11101 10010101 10101 1010011 11111 1010111 10101 1111111 11111 1111101 10111 1110111 11101 1010001 11111
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 534
  • Average number of words per stanza: 107
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • Average number of symbols per line: 26 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • 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; say is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of An Old Song Ended;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Dante Gabriel Rossetti