This is an analysis of the poem Looking Back that begins with:

I might have been rich if I'd wanted the gold instead of the friendships
I've made....

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: abcbXcdc cefeXggg bbdbahXh XgfgXddd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11101011001010010 11 11111011101001011 1001 10100110110110110 1001 111000101101111 11001 110110010010111101 1 1101110101100110100 1 1110111010011100 1101 11001001011010110 11 110110010110101101 11 111001011010010101 1111 110011011011110010 01 1110111011010111 1001 110111110111100 1001 1110010110011111 1010 111011010011111110 11 111101101001101111 101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 360
  • Average number of words per stanza: 70
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

    The author used the same words i, i've 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 Looking Back;
  • 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