This is an analysis of the poem To An Old Friend In England that begins with:

WAS it for nothing in the years gone by,
O my love, O my friend,... 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: aBccaDeBaaeDaBeeaD
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 18,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1011000011 111111 1110110101 1011111011 11110111011 111111 1011000110 111111 1111111101 1111011110 1111111101 111111 1101010111 111111 1111111111 1111110101 1111010101 111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 691
  • Average number of words per stanza: 145
  • Amount of lines: 18
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • 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; love, o, my, that are repeated.

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

  • summary of To An Old Friend In England;
  • 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 William Lauderdale Adams