This is an analysis of the poem Brass Keys that begins with:

JOY ... weaving two violet petals for a coat lapel ... painting on a slab of night sky a Christ face ... slipping new brass keys into rusty iron...

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: a a X X X
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,1,1,1,1,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: cinquain
  • Metre: 11011001010101101010110111011100101011100111011111001101011010010101111111 1111101101111111111101111101110110101010111011111101001001101010100111100101 110011110101010100101100110110110010110 01011010101000101101010100000010 101010000111101110101001010001011
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1019
  • Average number of words per stanza: 190
  • Amount of lines: 9
  • Average number of symbols per line: 112 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 22
  • Mood of the speaker:

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

    There are many three dots in the poem. Readers should think of the author's idea together with the pensive speaker.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, in, new, of, why, less are repeated.

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

  • summary of Brass Keys;
  • 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