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

I LOVE the old melodious lays
Which softly melt the ages through,... 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: abaab acaac Xdeed faffa bgbbg fhffh ihiih
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 110101001 11010101 01010101 1100101001 1001101010101 110011010 011100111 110101110 010101010 110111010001 01000101 01001101 01010111 11010101 110101111111 01010101 11010101 01010101 11010101 110101010001 110111001 01000111 01010101 11010111 010101110101 11111101 01011101 01010001 11000010 101101110011 11000101 11010101 11011101 10011111 111110111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 187
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 35
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Proem;
  • 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