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

Can we believe -- by an effort
comfort our hearts: ...

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: abbaacdeb fagahhXaiaia aiiicbc bhjkkjX jjXhlaiXkm iaaaja iajdib ailfblbbbl aieaA aaAXi efXdlgm
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,12,7,7,10,6,6,10,5,5,7,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11011110 1011 001110 111001 1101 11001 11010 01010010 10001101 101101 101001 001001 101001011 0010010 110110 101011 0101100111 0111110 1111 10111 11010 101001011 00100100 1100110 00011 110101 101100 110101 101 111001011 1111110 101100 10010 110010010 11000 1110110 1110110100 11110 010110 01111 001010001 101011 10011001 11010 1101101 10111 11101 111001 101001 0110010 11111 1110111 01111 1010 110110 11111 111001011 011011 10111011 111001111 111011 101101 111101 101111 1110 11101 011101 11111001 11001111 111 11111 011011 111001 1110010001 011011 1010110 010110010 1010010 01011111 111001 11101011 111111 11011
  • Amount of stanzas: 12
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 197
  • Average number of words per stanza: 34
  • Amount of lines: 83
  • Average number of symbols per line: 28 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words crowded, to, we, their are repeated.

    The author used the same word though at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines temple, them are repeated).

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Hilda Doolittle