This is an analysis of the poem Cross that begins with:

My old man's a white old man
And my old mother's black....

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: ababXcXcXbXb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 12,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 1110111 111101 010111111 111101 0101111110 111001 01011101 111101 111100111 111001 110101001 1010111
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 355
  • Average number of words per stanza: 78
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; my, old are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Langston Hughes