This is an analysis of the poem Old Friends that begins with:

I do not say new friends are not considerate and true,
Or that their smiles ain't genuine, but still I'm tellin' you ...

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: aabbccddee eeffbbggee bbffaahhcc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 10,10,10,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 11111111010011 11111100110101 11010101110001 11010101011101 10011100111111 11010111110101 01011111011011 11110111010111 11101101111111 11101101110111 01110101111101 11011101110111 11110100110101 01111101110101 11111111110111 01110111101111 11110101111101 11111101110101 11011111111111 11011101110111 01110101110111 11010111111101 01010011110111 01010011010111 01111101111101 01110011111111 01000111111101 11011111110111 11010111011101 10011111111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 661
  • Average number of words per stanza: 122
  • Amount of lines: 30
  • Average number of symbols per line: 65 (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; and, an', you, it's, not, your are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word the at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word way at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of Old Friends;
  • 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