This is an analysis of the poem Sheep-Sheering that begins with:

In one diffusive band,
They drive the troubled flocks, by many a dog... 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: aXbcdefaggdXdhijXaahbfhifffaXfkfehjaakcjiafhfXafdag
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 51,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 011001 11010111001 0101010101 1011010111 1111000101 1001011001 0101011111 1011010001 0111011101 1101010100 0101110101 1111010101 1101100101 0100110111 1101100101 0101010101 1011000101 1101011111 10011100101 0101011101 0101110101 0101010101 1101010101 10010110001 1011110101 0101110101 0111010101 0101110101 11010100100 110010100111 0111010101 1011010111 0101111111 1111011101 11001010111 1101110101 0101010101 10101010101 1100010101 11010100101 0111100101 1101110101 1111001101 1100010101 1101010001 1111011101 01010101011 1101011101 11010101001 1111010101 0111001101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 2259
  • Average number of words per stanza: 390
  • Amount of lines: 51
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (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.

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

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

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

  • summary of Sheep-Sheering;
  • 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 Thomson