This is an analysis of Possession by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

That which we had we still possess,
Though leaves may drop and stars may fall;…

Read full poem

Structure

  • Rhyme scheme: abAb cdcd efef bgbg ccccXcAca
  • Stanza lengths: 4,4,4,4,9,
  • Metre: 11111101 11111111 11011101 11001101 11011011 11010101 01110101 11111101 110101001 0111110111 11101101 100111101 101010001 111001010 01111111 111111010 11111111 11110110 11111101 11000101 11111011 11011101 11011101 11111101
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Guessed form: ballad stanza
  • Stanzas: 6
  • Lines: 24

Repeated words/phrases

we

Anaphora

we, no