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

Heigh-ho! Babyhood! Tell me where you linger:
Let's toddle home again, for we have gone astray;... 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 efef Xgag hghgXABAB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11101111110 110101111101 10101011111010 10010100101 11010111010 11010110101 11101010001010 1110101010101 100110101010 100100110101 10111010100110 0010100010101 100111101010 10101100101 10101010100010 1010101010101 1010101101010 00101100101 1010100100010 0110101010101 11101111110 110101111101 10101011111010 10010100101
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 197
  • Average number of words per stanza: 37
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 49 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • 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 Babyhood;
  • 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