This is an analysis of the poem The Stand-Ins that begins with:

In the dream
the swastika is neon...

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: abcddabbefbgddcGGGGehdcXccXhadeXXfaccXc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 39,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: enclosed rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 001 0100010 1101011 0011110 1010 11101001 1111110 110110110 1101111 01101 11 110010110 01110001 1110101 0101000 11010 110 11010 110 1111 01010 11 0001 0001 0001 0001 11 1011010 11001111 1101001 01100101 1111 0100101 000110001 1011001 1 1 11101 10101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 841
  • Average number of words per stanza: 172
  • Amount of lines: 39
  • Average number of symbols per line: 21 (very short strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; oven, and, breathing are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words and, this, i, right are repeated.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines oven, breathing, right are repeated).

    The literary device anadiplosis is detected in two or more neighboring lines. The words/phrases then, right connect the lines.

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

  • summary of The Stand-Ins;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Anne Sexton