This is an analysis of the poem They Will Say that begins with:

Of my city the worst that men will ever say is this:
You took little children away from the sun and the dew,...

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: aXXbbXa
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 01100111010100 11101001001101 10101100110011 10101110011 011011011110 011011111010 101011011011001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 378
  • Average number of words per stanza: 74
  • Amount of lines: 7
  • Average number of symbols per line: 53 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 11
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and is repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words and, to are repeated.

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

  • summary of They Will Say;
  • 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