This is an analysis of the poem The Night-Blooming Cereus that begins with:

FLOWER of the moon!
Still white is her brow whom we worshiped on earth long ago;... 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: abbcc ddeeA ffgg hhaaA
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,4,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 10001 11001111011101 11011011111011 010111001011001 101001001011001 001101011001001 111001011001001 11100010110110011 011011111101001 10001 111001101011101 101001011001001 1010111010010010 1111010010111110 1110010110010101 101001001011101 101101001111001 111111001001001 10001
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 271
  • Average number of words per stanza: 51
  • Amount of lines: 19
  • Average number of symbols per line: 56 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 11
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

  • summary of The Night-Blooming Cereus;
  • 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 Monroe