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

WHEN you and I were young, the days
Were filled with scent of pink and rose,...

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: aabacccddECaeeXffcddECgaagbbcffEChddhcccaaECieeidXcaaeX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 55,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110101 01010111 11010111 01011101 11010101 01011101 11010111 11111111 110100111 11110111 111101 11110101 1101001001 01010101 01110101 01010101 11110101 11010111 01011100 11010111 11110111 111101 11110101 11111101 1100100101 11010101 1100101001 11111101 10110111 11011110 11110101 11110111 111101 11110111 11010001 01010101 01000101 010001101 01010101 110010101 01110101 11110001 11110111 111101 11110111 01110111 11110001 01111111 11011111 010011100 10110111 01010111 01010100 11110111 111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1957
  • Average number of words per stanza: 378
  • Amount of lines: 55
  • 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; and, when, you, i, young, to are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar