This is an analysis of the poem Broken Tabernacles that begins with:

Have I broken the smaller tabernacles, O Lord?
And in the destruction of these set up the greater and massive, the everlasting tabernacles?...

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: XXXXXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1110010100011 1000100111010110010101000 111001111111111011101101000 10100001110001111110 1010010010111111010110010111101110111010011011000 1110110101101
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 573
  • Average number of words per stanza: 99
  • Amount of lines: 6
  • Average number of symbols per line: 95 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 17
  • 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; tabernacles, and, i, have, broken are repeated.

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

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines tabernacles is repeated).

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

  • summary of Broken Tabernacles;
  • 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