This is an analysis of the poem Sleigh Bells Long Ago that begins with:

I sit and list to the sleighbells,
As they tinkle o'er the snow, ...

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: X aX ab a b aX abX X aX aXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,2,2,1,1,2,3,1,2,3,
  • Closest metre: trochaic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11110010 11101001 10010110 1100111 111110010 00100101 1111010011 1001001 01001010 111111 11011110 11011111 11001010 111101 1110111101 100101 11011101 11011111
  • Amount of stanzas: 10
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 56
  • Average number of words per stanza: 12
  • Amount of lines: 18
  • 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; and is repeated.

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

  • summary of Sleigh Bells Long Ago;
  • 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 Kirkland Kernighan