This is an analysis of the poem Oh Where that begins with:

Where did you go, my dear, my day;
Where, oh where, did you go?...

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: abab cacX dede
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 10111111 111011 01001001001 11001011 10111111 101101 11010101 100100 10111111 011001 11110101 111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 126
  • Average number of words per stanza: 26
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • 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; where, to are repeated.

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

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

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

  • summary of Oh Where;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by David Berman