This is an analysis of the poem A' Old Played-Out Song that begins with:

It's the curiousest thing in creation,
Whenever I hear that old song,... 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: abXbXaca daXaXedX fgfgfhdh fijifjij dicifkjk XXbhXeXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0010010010 01011111 11111100110 11111101 110011100 010000111 1110110110 11111001 1010010110 11111011 111111111 10101001 0010110010 01011001 1010010110 011111110 111010110 01111011 111110111 00100111 1011010011 111001011 1010111110 11111011 1111111110 11011001 110110010 11101001 1010010110 101111011 0111010010 01001111 11111101010 11011101 110110010 11001101 1010111010 101011001 1011010010 01111001 111010010 11101010 1110011110 11101001 1111011010 11101001 0110110110 011111110
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 302
  • Average number of words per stanza: 60
  • Amount of lines: 48
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; it, her, as, and, of are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of A' Old Played-Out Song;
  • 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 Whitcomb Riley