This is an analysis of the poem May Day that begins with:

I wish I were to-day on the hill behind the wood,--
My eyes on the brown bog there and the Shannon river,--...

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 cdcd efef
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1110011010101 1110111101010 010111010101 10101110101010 0111110101 1100100111011001 10011111001 10110100100101 10101010101 101110011010101 11111011111 1001101110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 209
  • Average number of words per stanza: 42
  • Amount of lines: 12
  • Average number of symbols per line: 52 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

  • summary of May Day;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Thomas MacDonagh