This is an analysis of the poem Ensign Epps, The Color-Bearer that begins with:

ENSIGN EPPS, at the battle of Flanders,
Sowed a seed of glory and duty...

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: abbcca deedcff ggcffhhc cgcgiicc jajbba
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,7,8,8,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1011010010 101010110 1101101110 1010100101 011010111 11011111010 101101010 1101111011 1110101101 11101110010 1100101001 11101110111 0110110101 11011001001 11100101011 10101011011 110100111 1100110111 11100100101 110100101 1111110101 10100101 10100101 11110110111 111010001 1101101001 110100101 1100100001 110010101 110101101 1101011010 100100101 0010010010010 0111101110 11011010010
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 299
  • Average number of words per stanza: 58
  • Amount of lines: 35
  • Average number of symbols per line: 42 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of, and, he, his are repeated.

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

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

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

  • summary of Ensign Epps, The Color-Bearer;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by John Boyle O'Reilly