This is an analysis of the poem A Psalm Of Life that begins with:

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! ... 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: XaXa bcXc dede fgfg chch bXbX iaia jkjkXfbfb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11101010 1011101 10101110 1111111 1011010 1010101 11101100 1110001 10101110 0110111 10111010 1110101 10111010 1111111 11101110 10010001 00111010 001001 01111010 0010001 11101010 10111001 11001001 1011110 10111011 1111101 10101011 1110101 11101010 1011101 001110010 1011101 11101110 0011101 10101010 1010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 9
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 128
  • Average number of words per stanza: 24
  • Amount of lines: 36
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • 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; to, and, in are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words in, be, footprints are repeated.

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

  • summary of A Psalm Of Life;
  • 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 Wadsworth Longfellow