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

Sleep is Death's image,-poets tell us so;
But Absence is the bitter self of Death,... 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: abab cdcd aeae
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1011010111 1100010101 1101111101 10111000111 1011110101 111111001110 10101110101 11010111010 0011011101 1111111101 11111001111 1100010111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 178
  • Average number of words per stanza: 33
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by James Russell Lowell