This is an analysis of the poem My Eppie Macnab that begins with:

O saw ye my dearie, my Eppie Macnab?
O saw ye my dearie, my Eppie Macnab? ... 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: AAXa AAXa AAXa AAXa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 111111101 111111101 1100111001 1101100111 1111011101 1111011101 100111001001 1100101111 111111101 111111101 11101111101 11101010111 1111111101 1111111101 11101111111 1100111111
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 175
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 43 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; my, thy, to, she, thee, as are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word o at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines macnab is repeated).

    The poet repeated the same word rab at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of My Eppie Macnab;
  • 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