This is an analysis of the poem My Jolly Friend's Secret that begins with:

Ah, friend of mine, how goes it,
Since you've taken you a mate?--... 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: aaaabcbc XcXcXdXd eaeaecec fgfXhihi XjabcXcg jejeXkbk bjbjcaXaXcjcjcfcf
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,8,17,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1101110 1110101 1111010 0010101 1101010 1111111 1101110 0011101 1111100 1110111 11101010 1111111 1101100 1111110 001010110 1010101 01111110 111101 10101010 001111 1111010 1001101 1101010 1110101 00100110 1110111 11100110 0010100 10100110 1111101 10111010 1110101 111111010 1100101 00111010 0110100 01111010 11101110 10111010 1010101 1111011 111011 1101011 111001 0101110 1110101 11111110 1010111 11111110 0010111 10101010 1010001 10101110 111111 1110010 011101 1110010 110111 1100010 0111111 01101010 111001 1111010 1110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 8
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 234
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 64
  • Average number of symbols per line: 28 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • 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; as, and are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of My Jolly Friend's Secret;
  • 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