This is an analysis of the poem Hope Deferred that begins with:

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. Proverbs, XIII,12
Where is the perfect Vision... 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 abXbcdcd aeaebfXf
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 10110011101 1000110 001101 1101110 110101 1111010 111101 10110010 110101 1111010 1101111 110010 011101 0111111 0101001 1111010 110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 183
  • Average number of words per stanza: 32
  • Amount of lines: 17
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • 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 speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; days, and are repeated.

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

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Ina D. Coolbrith