This is an analysis of the poem The Birthday Party that begins with:

Had a birthday yesterday.
First one for, I think, a year.... 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: Xababb cdcdee fXfeee efefXX ededee gggghh eieiff bibicc ahahjj
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,6,6,6,6,6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 1011101 1111101 1110111 1010101 1011111 1110111 1011111 1111101 1111111 1010111 1111101 1011111 1110111 1011000 1010111 1010101 1011101 1110101 1101101 0110101 1110111 1110111 0110110 1001101 1100111 0010111 1111111 1011011 1111101 1011001 1010111 11010101 0111111 1010111 00100010 10110110 1011101 1110101 1010111 10111001 1110101 1110111 1111101 1010101 1010111 1110101 1111101 1111101 1111101 1011101 1100101 1011001 1111111 1111011
  • Amount of stanzas: 9
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 180
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 54
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase i connects the lines.

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

  • summary of The Birthday Party;
  • 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