This is an analysis of the poem John Barleycorn: A Ballad that begins with:

There was three kings unto the east,
Three kings both great and high, ... 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: abCb deCe dfdf ghih efef jkdk XbaX ljgX agXg jmem gifi eele eiei mbhb XeXe
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11111001 111111 11110101 110011 11011111 110101 11110101 110011 1010011101 110101 11001101 110101 01010101 111111 01111101 111111 01010101 111111 01011101 111001 01010111 110001 11010001 011101 11010111 111101 11110101 101110 11110101 1100111 11110101 11110110 1110101 010001 1101100 111111 11110101 011101 11110101 111011 110100101 010001 101011101 11110111 111101011 110111 11011111 110101 110010101 010101 10111101 111101 11010101 110101 11010101 1010001 11111100 110101 11010100 110110
  • Amount of stanzas: 15
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 127
  • Average number of words per stanza: 24
  • Amount of lines: 60
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (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; him, and, more, 'twill are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words they, and, 'twill are repeated.

    The author used the same words the, they at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

  • summary of John Barleycorn: A Ballad;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Robert Burns