This is an analysis of the poem Distant Voices that begins with:

I left my home for travelling;
Because I heard the strange birds sing...

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: aaaXbbcccdddeeefffdddbbb ccceee aaaggX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 24,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11111100 01110111 01011111 11110100 110111011 11010101 10010101 11011111 11011111 11010111 11110110 11010001 10010001 11111101 00110111 01010101 10110101 10010101 11010111 01010101 11110101 11110101 11010111 11101101 11010111 01000111 01111101 01010101 11011101 11011101 11111100 11110111 110101011 11010111 11011101 11010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 422
  • Average number of words per stanza: 79
  • Amount of lines: 36
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i, and, to are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Distant Voices;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Dora Sigerson Shorter