This is an analysis of What The Wolf Really Said To Little Red Riding-Hood by Francis Bret Harte.

Wondering maiden, so puzzled and fair,
Why dost thou murmur and ponder and stare?…

Read full poem

Structure

  • Rhyme scheme: aaXXbb ccddaa ddeeaa
  • Stanza lengths: 6,6,6,
  • Metre: 1001011011 1111011011 1111111011 1001001011 1001011001 1111011111 1111011111 1111001001 1011001101 1011011001 1111011101 1001001111 1011011001 1111111111 1111001011 1011111011 1111001101 0111101011
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Stanzas: 3
  • Lines: 18

Repeated words/phrases

and, why, when, i

Anaphora

only, why