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

The world does not need words. It articulates itself
in sunlight, leaves, and shadows. The stones on the path ...

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: XXXab cXdXd eXcXc Xaedb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,5,5,5,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 0111110010001 011111101101 1111110100001110 010111001010110 01011001111010 11101000101110 10010100100100 10100010101001 100111001001 1001110101001 101011101110 101101100100100 01011011100110 1010110001010 11101010011010 01111110010 100111011010 110101000110100 0111111111011 10101110101110
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 280
  • Average number of words per stanza: 48
  • Amount of lines: 20
  • Average number of symbols per line: 55 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; or, to, and are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Dana Gioia