This is an analysis of the poem Summum Bonum that begins with:

How blest is he that can but love and do
And has no skill of speech nor trick of art ...

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: ababcdcdbebeff
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: Shakespearean sonnet
  • Metre: 1101111111 1111011101 10001111001 1111010001 11010101010 0101110101 01011101010 1001110001 1110010111 10010101010 1101010101 01111011010 1111000101 1111110001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 620
  • Average number of words per stanza: 117
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Peter McArthur