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

Who has not wanted, does not guess
What plenty is.--Who has not groped ... 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: ababcbbc dbdbacca aeaebXdb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110111 11001111 01011100 110101 0101011 01011101 10010101 011100 11110101 11011111 01011111 110100 01011101 11110100 11011100 010111 11111101 11001110 01011011 110101 11111111 11010100 11111101 101111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 280
  • Average number of words per stanza: 51
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; not, has, and, knows are repeated.

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

  • summary of Unless;
  • 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