This is an analysis of the poem The Angels Of Buena Vista that begins with:

Speak and tell us, our Ximena, looking northward far away,
O'er the camp of the invaders, o'er the Mexican array,... 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 ccdX bbeX aacc eefX ddff ddcc aabX gghh aagg hhdd hhhh XXhh hhXX ffhh hhiiXccbb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 111111001010101 10010001010010001 101010101111111 101111101010111 101010001010101 101011101110111 101010101011101 11110101010101 101011101100111 111010111010101 101010101110111 1111101010101010 11111001011101 111010101010101 111010101010101 101010100010111 10101101011011101 101010101010101 111011101110101 101000111010101 101011101011101 110011111111111 01011111110101 1001010101110101 10101010110111 111010101010101 111011101111101 101011101110111 111111111111111 111011111111111 111011101110111 1011011101010 111111001111101 101010101010101 1010101010100101 0111011010111 101010101110101 101110101010101 11100011011001 11010101010101 001010101110101 001110101110101 1110111010100101 111010100010101 101010101011101 1110010100110101 10101010010101 001010101010111 1101010111111 011011101010001 101010101111001 1101010110111 11111001010101 101010101011101 111011100010101 1110101011101100 111011101011111 101010101110101 1010010111010101 001010101010111 101010101110101 111110101111101 1011100100010111 101010100011101 11011100010101 10101110010101010 001010101110111 11111101010011
  • Amount of stanzas: 17
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 255
  • Average number of words per stanza: 46
  • Amount of lines: 68
  • Average number of symbols per line: 63 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of, and, they, my, thou, o, his, thy, she, her are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words let, with are repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word ' at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of The Angels Of Buena Vista;
  • 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