This is an analysis of the poem To James Whitcomb Riley that begins with:

On his "Book of Joyous Children"
Yours is a garden of old-fashioned flowers;... 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: X abab caca dddd efef
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1010010100 10010011010 101001011 101110010 1001001011 11111110 101101010 1001010010 101101110 101001010 1110010010 101001110 111101010 0001011111 10100101 101011011 11100101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 130
  • Average number of words per stanza: 23
  • Amount of lines: 17
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; you is repeated.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase you connects the lines.

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

  • summary of To James Whitcomb Riley;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Henry Van Dyke