This is an analysis of the poem A Verseman's Apology that begins with:

Alas! I am only a rhymer,
I don't know the meaning 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: abababab cdcdbbbb eeeeXbXXb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,9,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 011110010 11101001 1110110110 01011111 111010010 01111111 110010110 111011011 010110011 01011101 1111111011 11011011 111111110 11111111 111111010 111001001 011010110 01100101 010010010 11010101 1110111010 111111001 101101 1011110 111011001
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 297
  • Average number of words per stanza: 57
  • Amount of lines: 25
  • Average number of symbols per line: 35 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i is repeated.

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

    The poet repeated the same word that 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 Verseman's Apology;
  • 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 William Service