This is an analysis of the poem Tom Collins that begins with:

Who never drinks and never bets,
But loves his wife and pays his debts ... 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: aaaB aaaB cccB dddB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 4,4,4,4,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11011101 11011101 11100111 110 11011100 11011001 01110101 110 11010101 11010111 11010101 110 10010001 110100001 0111101 110
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 119
  • Average number of words per stanza: 21
  • Amount of lines: 16
  • Average number of symbols per line: 29 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 5
  • 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; 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 who at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    The poet repeated the same word collins at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

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

  • summary of Tom Collins;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Banjo Paterson