This is an analysis of the poem Digression On Number 1, 1948 that begins with:

I am ill today but I am not
too ill. I am not ill at all....

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: abcb ddeXeX abcX bXdXed aX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,6,4,6,2,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111011111 11111111 0000111 110111 01111011 010101101 111101110 11010100 1010100110 0101010101 1110011111 1101111011 1001011 0110011 101011001 1010101 1111101 010101001 01101010 1011111 110101001011001 101010011
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 146
  • Average number of words per stanza: 28
  • Amount of lines: 23
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (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; i, ill, tired are repeated.

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

  • summary of Digression On Number 1, 1948;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Frank O'Hara