This is an analysis of the poem Sung On A By-Way that begins with:

WHAT of all the will to do?
It has vanished long ago, ...

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: aaaa bcbc dcdc efef
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1010001 0110101 1011101 0001101 1010101 1110001 1001001 1011101 1010101 1000111 0010101 1111101 1010101 1011011 1110101 1110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 131
  • Average number of words per stanza: 25
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

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

    The author used the same word what 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 Sung On A By-Way;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by George William Russell