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

TIS a dull sight
   To see the year dying, ... full text

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: abcbb defgg acXcc aahab digjj kdhXX jfhff blXlX eicJJ kicig ifhfb ahXhXkhch
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1011 110110 1101 1010110 10110 110110 1101 00111 100110 110110 1111 1011 011110 1011 11001 11011 101001 11001 101101 1010 11101 101011 10010 1100 10100 10111 11011 1110110 1010 11010 10110 11111 1101101 1101 1101 11110 1011 110011 1011 1000 10101 11011 100111 1100 1100 1101 1111 11010 11101 10010 1111 11101 110011 101001 1010 1011 101001 001001 101111 11111 101101 1010011 11101
  • Amount of stanzas: 13
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 156
  • Average number of words per stanza: 19
  • Amount of lines: 63
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • 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; falling is repeated.

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

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines sighing, fire, sings, chivalry, time, merrily are repeated).

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase sighing connects the lines.

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

  • summary of Old Song;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edward Fitzgerald