This is an analysis of the poem Could Live—did Live that begins with:

43
Could live—did live—... 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: X Xabcb XcXc XaXa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,5,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic trimeter or irregular meter
  • Metre: 1 1101 1101 110101 1101111 010101 1101010 0110001 1101010 01001 1111011 011101 111010 10101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 81
  • Average number of words per stanza: 15
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 22 (very short strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

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

  • summary of Could Live—did Live;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Emily Dickinson