This is an analysis of the poem Learn To Smile that begins with:

The good Lord understood us when He taught us how to smile;
He knew we couldn't stand it to be solemn all the while;...

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 ccaa dcdbX eeAa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,5,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 00110111111101 11110100010101 11110111111101 111110100011101 111010101110101 111110101110111 111010101111101 111010101011001 101001101011100 11111010111110 1 10101110111101 101011101111101 00110111111101 11111101110101 11110100010101 111110101111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 254
  • Average number of words per stanza: 52
  • Amount of lines: 17
  • Average number of symbols per line: 59 (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; he, us, to, and, of, your, their are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Learn To Smile;
  • 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