This is an analysis of the poem The Gatekeeper that begins with:

THE sunlight falls on old Quebec,
A city framed of rose and gold,... 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: abXbcdceX bdedfefXb Xgcghbhhh gibijfjkk afhfiXibb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 9,9,9,9,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 01111101 01010111 11011100 01010101 11010111 11001101 11011101 11010100 11011100 11110011 11010101 110011101 01100101 11010111 10110111 11110101 11010110 01110101 11010100 01110111 01110101 01111101 01010111 11111101 01011101 10111111 11000100 11010101 11011101 01000111 11110101 10110101 01111101 110011101 10111111 11010101 01111101 10010101 11010111 11001101 11110111 01111111 11011011 11011111 11000111
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 314
  • Average number of words per stanza: 59
  • Amount of lines: 45
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (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; higher, flag are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word here 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 The Gatekeeper;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay