When The Year Grows Old by Edna St. Vincent Millay: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem When The Year Grows Old that begins with:

I cannot but remember
   When the year grows old -- ...

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: ABAB cdXd cbXb aeXe fgcg aXfaXABAB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101010 10111 010010 110101 1101010 110101 110010 101011 1101011 110101 1010010 1010101 1101010 1111101 010011 10001 1100111 11101 1100011 10011 10100010 10101 10100010 110000 1101010 10111 010010 110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 141
  • Average number of words per stanza: 19
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 5

  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of is 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 When The Year Grows Old;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay

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