This is an analysis of the poem A Late Good Night that begins with:

My lamp is out, my task is done,
And up the stair with lingering feet... 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: abaB abaB XbXB cbcB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11011101 110101001 11011111 01110111 11010111 01011001 01000101 01110111 11110101 11110101 11110101 01110111 11110111 11110101 01110101 01110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 143
  • Average number of words per stanza: 28
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • 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; my is repeated.

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

    The poet repeated the same word sweet 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 A Late Good Night;
  • 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 Fuller Murray