This is an analysis of the poem How Is It? that begins with:

You who are loudly crying out for peace,
You who are wanting love to vanquish hate.... 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: ABCB XddeXbb dfCf fgXeX chhgXABCB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,7,4,5,9,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111010111 1111010101 1000011011 0111 1111111101010010 1011001001 11111101110101 1101010101111010111111010101001011 1111011011100110 10110111101110111 10111011111011101 1111010101 1101000101 1000011011 0111 111001110010011011000 01111010110101 00100110010110111 011110010110011010111 1100000101010 011110101010111010111 111101010110001000110 101101010100 111010001010111100101100111 1111010111 1111010101 1000011011 0111
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 267
  • Average number of words per stanza: 50
  • Amount of lines: 29
  • Average number of symbols per line: 55 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; you, your, of are repeated.

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

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

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

  • summary of How Is It?;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ella Wheeler Wilcox