This is an analysis of the poem Ask Not The Cause Why Sullen Spring that begins with:

Ask not the cause why sullen spring
So long delays her flow'rs to bear;... 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: ababcc bdbdbb eeeebb cfcfec
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: enclosed rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 110111001 11010101 110010101 11010101 10011101 010011101 10010101 111101001 11010001 01010101 11111101 01011011 11011111 01111101 11010101 11010101 11111101 11110101 11000101 01010101 11010101 11011101 11011101 0001011000110000000100001010010100001010101000010110010100110110111000100001011001011010100100010000101101010000100
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 317
  • Average number of words per stanza: 51
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 52 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; to, and, for, university are repeated.

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

  • summary of Ask Not The Cause Why Sullen Spring;
  • 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 Dryden