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

Sing! gangling lad, along the brink
Of wild brook-ways of shoal and deep,... 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: ababcdcd ededXdXd
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11010101 01110111 11011101 11010101 11011101 11011100 11010111 111 11101101 11011101 11110101 111101001 1100111001 110010101 11011101 1111
  • Amount of stanzas: 2
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 264
  • Average number of words per stanza: 47
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, sing, every are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word sing at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word sing at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase sing connects the lines.

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

  • summary of A Song Of Singing;
  • 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