This is an analysis of the poem Time How Swift that begins with:

While with ceaseless course the sun
Hasted through the former year,... 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: ababcdcd efefegeg hdhdfhfh
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1010101 1010101 1011111 1010111 1010101 1110101 1010101 1110111 101101 1000101 1010001 1111101 1011101 1111101 1011101 1010101 1110101 1001101 1111101 0010001 1110111 1100101 1111101 1110101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 243
  • Average number of words per stanza: 45
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

  • summary of Time How Swift;
  • 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 Newton