This is an analysis of the poem An Afternoon In July that begins with:

How hushed and still are earth and air,
How languid ’neath the sun’s fierce ray—...

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: ababcdcd ececcfcf gggXhaea bibicici XiXihehe
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 11111111 11010111 10110101 10110101 10110101 11110111 11010101 110010101 10110101 01010111 11011101 10011101 11110111 11011101 01011101 11010111 11110101 01010101 110111001 010010101 110001110 11001101 010101010 11110111 11010011 01110101 10111101 11010111 01010111 110011101 110111001 110010011 01010111 11000111 111100101 11010101 110111010 11000111 111111010 01011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 293
  • Average number of words per stanza: 54
  • Amount of lines: 40
  • Average number of symbols per line: 36 (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; and is repeated.

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

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

  • summary of An Afternoon In July;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon