This is an analysis of the poem Killers that begins with:

I AM put high over all others in the city today.
I am the killer who kills for those who wish a killing today....

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 bXb aaa aXX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 1,1,3,3,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rondeau rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 111110110001001 1101011111101001 10011111 110101010111110111111010011011101001101010000101010100 1101010010101001010001101010010001010010101000101011001001001010100111010011011111 1100100011110100010101 1111010110011110111100001001100001001 10101101011101 110110001001 1111010001110101111 11010110111101011010
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 224
  • Average number of words per stanza: 44
  • Amount of lines: 11
  • Average number of symbols per line: 101 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 20
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; who, and, of, to, be, i, fellow, in, killer, citizens are repeated.

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

    The author used the same word i at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

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

    The poet repeated the same word today 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 Killers;
  • 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