A Friend's Greeting by Edgar Albert Guest: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem A Friend's Greeting that begins with:

DIAMONDS wouldn't tell yer all I really think of you,
The costliest gift the goldsmith makes I'm sure would never do. ...

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: aabb ccaX bbddXaabb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 1010111110101 010010111011101 11011111111101 11011111011101 01110101111111 11110101110011 11011111110111 11111101111111 01011111010110 11110111011101 01110101011111 11001101111100 11110100010111 01011111001111 110010101011101 01010101111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 246
  • Average number of words per stanza: 49
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 61 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12

  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; that, i, and, o', an' are 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 A Friend's Greeting;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edgar Albert Guest

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