This is an analysis of the poem Alf’s Twelfth Bit that begins with:

BALLAD FOR THE TIMES' SPECIAL SILVER NUMBER
Sez the Times a silver lining...

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 aaB ccB aXB ddB ddB eebfXfB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,3,3,3,3,3,7,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 10101101010 10101010 0111110 101101 00101110 11111010 101101 1011100 0101000 101101 0001111 11010101 101101 110001 10010101 101101 1010101 1110101 111101 0010111 010111 101101
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 74
  • Average number of words per stanza: 13
  • Amount of lines: 22
  • Average number of symbols per line: 26 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

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

    The poet repeated the same word montague at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of Alf’s Twelfth Bit;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ezra Pound