This is an analysis of the poem Playing For Keeps that begins with:

I've watched him change from his bibs and things, from bonnets known as 'cute,'
To little frocks, and later on I saw him don a suit;...

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: XabXccbbddcceeffccaaaacc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 24,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: heroic couplets
  • Metre: 1111001110101110 01011101111101 11010101110111 01011101111101 11110101010111 11010101110111 01100111011001 01010111011101 10010001110101 10110001110111 11010101100101 11010001110111 01010101110001 11110101110101 11011101010101 01110111110101 11111010010111 11111101110111 101101010110101 00111101110011 10010101010101 11010101110111 11111001010101 11110101110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1460
  • Average number of words per stanza: 287
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 60 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; him, and, to, his, he are repeated.

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

  • summary of Playing For Keeps;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edgar Albert Guest