This is an analysis of the poem Only A Year that begins with:

One year ago,--a ringing voice,
A clear blue eye,... 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: Xaba caba dede cfaf bfef bgag dhXh gfef Xaca fcXc gbXb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11010101 0111 110010101 1101 10011111 1101 110010101 1101 11011111 1001 11011101 11001 01010101 01001 01110111 0101 11111101 1111 11010101 1101 011101011 0111 110010111 1101 11110101 1101 11110101 0111 111001010 1111 110111001 1110 01011111 1111 01011101 1111 111101101 1011 110101010 0110 10010101 1101 11010111 0111
  • Amount of stanzas: 11
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 107
  • Average number of words per stanza: 21
  • Amount of lines: 44
  • 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; no, what, one, year, hast, thou, veil, not are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words no, what, the, and are repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word die 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 Only A Year;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Harriet Beecher Stowe