This is an analysis of the poem Lines On A Fly-Leaf that begins with:

I need not ask thee, for my sake,
To read a book which well may make... 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: aabbccddeeffcXbbbbbbeeggghhii hheejjXkkkXgkkkkhhllgghhmmmm iieebXbbeekkffkkiXkkggnnff
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 29,28,26,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11111111 01011111 01110101 011100100 01010101 110100101 11110101 11010001 11010101 11011101 01011101 110101111 10110111 01010100 11011101 11010100 11010111 11010101 11010001 11011101 11010101 01001100 100010011 01010100 11000101 11101111 010100110 11110001 101001101 101011011 01111111 11110111 0101000101 11001101 11011111 011101110 01010101 11100101 110100101 01000110 00110100 11010111 10010111 01010111 01000111 01010110 01110100 11010101 11001111 01010111 11011111 01010101 01001101 11111101 11010111 11111101 11011011 11010101 11010101 11010101 11010111 110110111 10111000 11010101 11111101 10110101 11011101 110010001 01010001 10011101 11010101 10100111 10111101 110010101 010101010 11111001 01010101 10010101 01000101 10111101 00110001 11011101 11110001
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 960
  • Average number of words per stanza: 172
  • Amount of lines: 83
  • 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; and, of, her are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words the, of, and, nor are repeated.

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

  • summary of Lines On A Fly-Leaf;
  • 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