This is an analysis of the poem A Shepherd's Dream that begins with:

A silly shepherd lately sat
Among a flock of sheep;... 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: ababcdcdefefededebebdcdcghghfefeXbXb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 36,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 01010101 010101 11011011 111101 10010111 110101 11010101 111101 11110111 1101111 11010101 0111111 1101101 001101 11001001 110101 11010001 110101 11011101 010101 11111101 010111 11111101 011101 01001101 110101 11110001 111001 11011101 011001 11111111 111110 11110101 011101 10011101 010001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1100
  • Average number of words per stanza: 219
  • Amount of lines: 36
  • Average number of symbols per line: 30 (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; he, his are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of A Shepherd's Dream;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Nicholas Breton