This is an analysis of the poem A Lullaby that begins with:

In her wimple of wind and her slippers of sleep
The twilight comes like a little goose-girl,... 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: abXacb Adad Aaddd Xceecee FefeF feee X ggeXeg HbhbXHhbhh
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,4,5,7,5,4,1,6,10,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 00101101001 0111101011 100101001 0101100111 11011001001 1101001 111011 000101001 1001011111 1111101101 111011 01011001101 01011101001 111111111 1001011111 1 11001111111 0100101111 11001011001 001001001001 11111011001 11011011 111011 000101011 1011001111 1011011011 111011 01011001111 01111001011 100111001 1011001001 1 01111111011 1100100101 11101101011 00101111010 11101011001 1001101 111011 1001001011 1001011101 1001001101 111011 01011001111 01111101011 100110001 1001010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 10
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 178
  • Average number of words per stanza: 34
  • Amount of lines: 47
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • 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; her, sleep, you, now, go, dream, over, and, rest are repeated.

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

    The author used the same words sleep, rest 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 down, sand, west are repeated).

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Madison Julius Cawein