O Friend by Kabir: poem analysis

This is an analysis of the poem O Friend that begins with:

O friend! hope for Him whilst you live
O friend! hope for Him whilst you live, ...

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: AAaX Xb cX Xb X Xc XX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,2,2,2,1,2,2,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: rondeau
  • Metre: 11111111 11111111 1111101111 101010001 0110110110 110010001 0011101101111001 010110010 010111011 01111101001001 0111011110010 100110111 110011 1011001000111 11010010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 7
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 94
  • Average number of words per stanza: 19
  • Amount of lines: 15
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9

  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; you, whilst, live, for, if are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word if at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines live is repeated).

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

  • summary of O Friend;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Kabir

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