This is an analysis of the poem The Pay Envelope that begins with:

Is it all in the envelope holding your pay?
Is that all you're working for day after day?...

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: aabbcc aaddbb eebbbb bbaaff
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,6,6,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 001001011011 01111011101 111011011101 11001001001 01111001111 11101101001 001001011001 01111011101 01111101001 01001101111 111011101101 11101001011 001001011011 11001101011 011011101001 01011111101 101001011111 11011011011 01111001011 11001011111 01111011011 111011001101 101001001001 011011101101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 282
  • Average number of words per stanza: 57
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 46 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 10
  • 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; all, that, your, you are repeated.

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

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

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

  • summary of The Pay Envelope;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Edgar Albert Guest