This is an analysis of the poem I Shall Not Forget that begins with:

I shall not forget you. The years may be tender,
But vain are their efforts to soften my smart;... 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: abab cdcd Xefe XfXf acacXabab
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111011001010 11111001011 1011011110110 01001101011 110010011011 11101101001 10101100100101 101001000111 110011011100 01011001111 0011010110110 01011011011 010010011110 01011001111 1011011110110 101101111001 111011110010 01001111001 110111010010 11001001101 110110111010 11101101101 1010110110110 11101010111
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 192
  • Average number of words per stanza: 38
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 47 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words your, and, to, for are repeated.

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

  • summary of I Shall Not Forget;
  • 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