This is an analysis of the poem A Lament that begins with:

The circle is broken, one seat is forsaken,
One bud from the tree of our friendship is shaken;... 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: aabb ccaa ddee ccff bbgg bbhh ffii ddgg XXjj ddXiXaaee
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 010010110010 110010110010 11001111011 01011011011 11011011001 01001001001 11011111001 01011001001 111001101001 001011001001 01011101001 111001001000 11011011011 101001001001 101001001001 011001001111 11101011001 101101011001 01101011111 001001001001 101001011001 101001101101 101001101011 101011101001 110011011001 11001011011 01101011011 110101011101 01101001001 01001011011 11001101101 101001001011 110111110010 011010011010 11011101011 01001001001 111001111010 11001001011 101101101010 101010111011 1010011110010 1011011011010 101101011001 111001001000
  • Amount of stanzas: 11
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 196
  • Average number of words per stanza: 37
  • Amount of lines: 44
  • Average number of symbols per line: 48 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • 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; one, our, of, her, and, with, as are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of A Lament;
  • 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 Greenleaf Whittier