This is an analysis of the poem The Blow Returned that begins with:

I struck you once, I do remember well.
Hard on the track of passion sorrow sped,...

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: XaXAXXbXbaXA
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 12,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111110101 1101010101 1101010101 1111111101 1111011101 0101011100 1101011101 011111101 1101010111 0111100111 0101010111 1111111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 534
  • Average number of words per stanza: 101
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

  • summary of The Blow Returned;
  • 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