This is an analysis of the poem I Was Looking A Long While that begins with:

I WAS looking a long while for a clue to the history of the past for
myself, and for these chants--and now I have found it;... 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: XaXabcadcbXdXc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 14,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: sonnet with iambic pentameter or irregular meter
  • Metre: 1110011101001000011 111111111110 00101110001100110 01101 001100101011 000001000101 0000100001110101 0001011111001010010 01 0001001010100001 00001101010110100 101110010101010 10 1101001001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 730
  • Average number of words per stanza: 131
  • Amount of lines: 14
  • Average number of symbols per line: 51 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; i, for, it, in, of are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word it is repeated.

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The word/phrase it connects the lines.

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

  • summary of I Was Looking A Long While;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Walt Whitman