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

Your steps, children of my silence,
Holily, slowly placed, ...

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: abaX ccab abaa bbXa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11100110 100101 010101100 011110 1111011 111111010 1101111 10111101 001011 101001010 10100011 01001 11100101 00111001 01110011 11111011
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 123
  • Average number of words per stanza: 23
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • 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:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; of, not, to are repeated.

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

  • summary of The Steps;
  • 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 Valery