This is an analysis of the poem To Wolcott Balestier that begins with:

Beyond the path of the outmost sun through utter darkness hurled --
Further than ever comet flared or vagrant star-dust swirled --... 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: aaa bbb ccc deee aaa fff ddd gggXaaa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,4,3,3,3,7,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 010100101110101 10110101110111 11111111111111 1110101111101011 11110010110100101 0010011011101101 110110101110111 1010110111111101 11001010010100111 1111001001 1111101 110110101111101 11100100101111101 11001011111001001 110100101010101 11101111101100101 0111101010101111 11110101111101 11011111110101 11110101110101 101111101111001 01001100110111 11010101111101 111110101011111 111011101111101 010100111110101 10110101110111 11011111111101
  • Amount of stanzas: 9
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 204
  • Average number of words per stanza: 39
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 65 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 13
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, they, of, to, men, his are repeated.

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

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

  • summary of To Wolcott Balestier;
  • 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