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

No butterfly whose frugal fare
Is breath of heliotrope and clove, ... 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: aXaX bbbb cdcd bebe
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11011101 010100111 11010111 11111111 11111111 01110111 11010001 11010101 11111111 01110101 11000111 01111101 01010100 11111111 11110111 11001101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 141
  • Average number of words per stanza: 27
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (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; had is repeated.

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Mathilde Blind