This is an analysis of the poem Five Flights Up that begins with:

Still dark.
The unknown bird sits on his usual branch....

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: XaXbcXXdX baecf efXffc XeXfdX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,5,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11 00111101001 0101111001 100011 01001101010 111100 10010111 1001010 1101 010101000100 1110111 11010111 1001010101 0111111101 010111001 01010101 101001000 1111 110100111 11001000101 1000111101 11011101010 11010 110101 1011001110 01011111010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 223
  • Average number of words per stanza: 38
  • Amount of lines: 26
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; he is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Five Flights Up;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Elizabeth Bishop