This is an analysis of the poem Song Of Slaves In The Desert that begins with:

WHERE are we going? where are we going,
Where are we going, Rubee?... 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: aXbbccaaaXddcceeeXddffaaAXbbggaaaXaabbaaAX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 42,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111011110 111101 1010101 1011101 1010001 1011001 1011010 11101010 111111110 111101 1011110 1010101 1011101 1011111 10111110 11111110 101110010 111101 1110101 1010111 1010111 1111111 100111110 11101110 111111110 111101 1010011 1010111 1011111 1010101 10101110 10101010 101111110 111101 1111111 1111101 1111111 1111111 11101110 10111110 111111110 111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1399
  • Average number of words per stanza: 265
  • Amount of lines: 42
  • Average number of symbols per line: 32 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; where, we, going, and, us, thou are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words where, through, here, we are repeated.

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

  • summary of Song Of Slaves In The Desert;
  • 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