This is an analysis of the poem What Would They Say? that begins with:

What would the people say, reduced and empty,
If one fortuitous day, by some extreme fantasy,...

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: aaXXbbb cXc X
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,3,1,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11010101110 01010011101100 1001111001100001111101001 101001001111100 001101001000001 100111001100010 11110101 111011100011 11111111000 111011001 011110011010
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 194
  • Average number of words per stanza: 36
  • Amount of lines: 11
  • Average number of symbols per line: 52 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The speaker asks many questions. Perhaps, he or she is in confusion.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; to is repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same word would is repeated.

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

  • summary of What Would They Say?;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Alfonsina Storni