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

His Birthday, October the 7th, 1912
RILEY, whose pen has made the world your debtor,... 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: XabbacddcXacXac
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 15,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: enclosed rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: rondeau
  • Metre: 011010011 10111101110 1111111100 1011010101 10011001010 11010111110 1101010111 0101011111 11110111110 11010111110 010011100110 11010101010 01010111110 110111010110 10010100010
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 681
  • Average number of words per stanza: 123
  • Amount of lines: 15
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

  • summary of Riley;
  • 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