This is an analysis of the poem The Art Of Drowning that begins with:

I wonder how it all got started, this business
about seeing your life flash before your eyes...

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: abaXb cXdae fXgaXd aXeXbg cXXXfb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 110101110010 01101110111 11110101010010 110100101010 01001011001010 10101011110101 00101101011 10110011101001 1001001100101 11101011011000101 1010110101011010 1101010110110101 1010101010101 11010101011 01111001000100 101011101010 010111010010 111011001010 110010110111 1011010100010 1010110111 1111000100001 01101101001 101001011111 0101110100101 111010101010010 1001111010010 01011010011001
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 280
  • Average number of words per stanza: 50
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 49 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; in, your, you are repeated.

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

  • summary of The Art Of Drowning;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Billy Collins