This is an analysis of the poem A Song Of Long Ago that begins with:

A song of Long Ago:
Sing it lightly--sing it low--... 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: aaabbX cccdXd eeebbb eeeffX gggaaa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 010101 1010101 101010100011101 1110101 0011101 01011101010 1010101 1010101 101011101010101 110001 1010100 1111010111 1010101 1010101 11000101010111 110111 0111101 0101110111 100101 0011101 101100101010101 1010111 1010111 0111011100 110111 1010101 101000100010111 111111 1010011 00101010101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 214
  • Average number of words per stanza: 41
  • Amount of lines: 30
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (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; it, sing, and are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word let 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 A Song Of Long Ago;
  • 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