Old Fashioned Roses by James Whitcomb Riley: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem Old Fashioned Roses that begins with:

They ain't no style about 'em,
And they're sorto' pale and faded,... 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 XaXaefXf cacaabab eAXaXXXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111010 11101110 10111010 101000110 00011010 1010101 10111110 1101101 1100110 10101010 11111110 11101110 0101110 1011101 1101010 1010111 1111110 1111010 1111010 11101010 10110110 1000111 11101110 0011111 1111010 1111010 10100100 11100010 001000110 1010011 10101110 0010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 249
  • Average number of words per stanza: 49
  • Amount of lines: 32
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6

  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, i, 'em are repeated.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines 'em is repeated).

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

  • summary of Old Fashioned Roses;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

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