This is an analysis of the poem Old Ed that begins with:

Our cowman, old Ed, hadn't much in his head,
And lots of folks though him a witling;...

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: aXbcXbXX XcXcabbX XcbcabXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11011101001 110111010 111001111111 1011010110 111111100101 110110110 111111011110 10101001100 11001101011 110010010 111001101011 110111010 11011111111 1001110010 1110111101 10101001100 111001111001 110111110 111010110110 110011110 1101111001 110111010 011101101111 10101001100
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 359
  • Average number of words per stanza: 66
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, you're are repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word spittle 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 Old Ed;
  • 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