This is an analysis of the poem In Memoriam that begins with:

So you were David's father,
And he was your only son, ... 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: abcbcbdb efcfbXga ahchifgf ejhjhdcd iebehXha
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: shakespearean sonnet
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101010 1111101 10111110 1010101 01011110 111101 1100110 101101 1010111 111101 1010010 1101101 11111010 101110 101011010 1110100 10101010 111101 1111110 1001001 1111111 111101 0111110 111111 11001011 111101 1111110 111101 0101010 1011011 1111110 111111 1011110 111111 1101110 10100111 0101010 111111 1101010 1111100
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 235
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • 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; and, you are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of In Memoriam;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ewart Alan Mackintosh