This is an analysis of the poem Mater Dei that begins with:

She looked to east, she looked to west,
Her eyes, unfathomable, mild, ...

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: ababa cXcXc dcdXd eeeee
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,5,5,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11011101 01010001 11111101 100111 11011101 110110111 11011100 11110110 1001100 11011101 111011101 01011111 110110101 101100 11001101 01011111 01010101 01010111 1110001 11011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 173
  • Average number of words per stanza: 32
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (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; to, what are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word what is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of Mater Dei;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Katharine Tynan