This is an analysis of the poem Bookshelf that begins with:

I like to think that when I fall,
A rain-drop in Death's shoreless sea,...

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 cdcdee baXXff gghhicic bjbjii dadakk
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,6,6,8,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11011111 011011001 01010101 01110111 01011101 10111101 11110111 10111101 10100101 01001101 11110111 01111100 1011100 01111101 11010101 11110101 01010001 01010101 01010101 11011111 11011001 11101111 11010111 11000101 10110101 01010101 10011101 11010101 10110111 01010111 011101010 11111101 111111010 11110101 11010101 11011111
  • Amount of stanzas: 6
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 210
  • Average number of words per stanza: 38
  • Amount of lines: 36
  • Average number of symbols per line: 34 (medium-length strings)
  • 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, my, i are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word and is repeated.

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

  • summary of Bookshelf;
  • 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