This is an analysis of the poem Aztec Mask that begins with:

I wanted a man’s face looking into the jaws and throat of life
With something proud on his face, so proud no smash of the jaws, ...

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: XabcdaXXaXbcXadXbX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 18,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1100111000011101 01011011111001 11001101001 0101110111 1000101001 10101110 01111001 011110001001 101010010100 101010100010 1010111011 1100111100101111 011011101110101 0101010 1001111 10110 11 1110
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 764
  • Average number of words per stanza: 148
  • Amount of lines: 18
  • Average number of symbols per line: 42 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • 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; proud, face, of, ready, and, for are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words ready, a, proud are repeated.

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

  • summary of Aztec Mask;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Carl Sandburg