This is an analysis of the poem California's Greeting To Seward that begins with:

We know him well: no need of praise
Or bonfire from the windy hill... 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 aeae efef bgbg hfhf aaaa iaiX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11111101 111000101 01010111 01111101 11010111 11100111 110010101 01110101 11011101 0111011 11010101 11010100 11010101 01010101 01010101 01010101 01110001 01110101 11010111 11110100 11010101 010010101 01110111 01101100 01000101 10010001 01000101 01110001 11011101 01111111 01101101 01100111
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 139
  • Average number of words per stanza: 26
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; his, sunset, in are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word no 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 California's Greeting To Seward;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Francis Bret Harte