This is an analysis of the poem Billy's Policeman that begins with:
I knew a policeman once
And this is true as it ever could be ... 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: XaXabbbX ccccdbdb bXbXbaba dedefbfX
- Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,8,8,8,
- Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
- Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
- Сlosest stanza type: tercets
- Guessed form: ballad stanza
- Metre: 1100101 1001101010 11111101 1111110101 11111101 111111011 11011101 110101011 11010101 01110101 101011101 1110100101 110101111 111101111 11111111 1010111101 11010101 110110111 0100110001 1111111001 111111011 1110111101 111101111 11110100111 11110101 1111101001 111101101 11101111011 111111101 10110101011 110111001 111111011
- Amount of stanzas: 4
- Average number of symbols per stanza: 304
- Average number of words per stanza: 65
- Amount of lines: 32
- Average number of symbols per line: 37 (medium-length strings)
- Average number of words per line: 8
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.
The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word and is repeated.
The author used the same word i at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.
If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:
- summary of Billy's Policeman;
- central theme;
- idea of the verse;
- history of its creation;
- critical appreciation.
Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!
Pay attention: the program cannot take into account all the numerous nuances of poetic technique while analyzing. We make no warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability and suitability with respect to the information.
