This is an analysis of the poem Tides that begins with:

O patient shore, thou canst not go to meet
Thy love, the restless sea, how comfortest... 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: aXaaaaaabbXXcc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic pentameter or irregular meter
  • Metre: 1101111101 1101011100 1111001111 1100110111 1101111101 1101101011 1101110101 1110011111 1101111111 0111011111 1011111000 01010111001 1111001101 1110011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 633
  • Average number of words per stanza: 119
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • 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; thou, thy, he are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words he, o are repeated.

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

  • summary of Tides;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Helen Hunt Jackson