This is an analysis of the poem Mother O' Mine that begins with:

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! ... full text

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 cBcBXaaB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,8,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Metre: 010110101 101111011 111111011 101111011 010100101 101111011 111111101 101111011 010101011 11111111 101111011
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 137
  • Average number of words per stanza: 28
  • Amount of lines: 11
  • Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; o, mine, mother are repeated.

    The author used the same word if at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word mine 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 Mother O' Mine;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Rudyard Kipling