This is an analysis of the poem This Day, O Soul that begins with:

THIS day, O Soul, I give you a wondrous mirror;
Long in the dark, in tarnish and cloud it lay--But the cloud has... 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: aXXaX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: cinquain
  • Metre: 011111101010 100101011011011 110101 0111001011110 100101101001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 269
  • Average number of words per stanza: 49
  • Amount of lines: 5
  • Average number of symbols per line: 53 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • 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.

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

  • summary of This Day, O Soul;
  • 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