This is an analysis of the poem Why We Fight that begins with:

This is the thing we fight:
A cry of terror in the night;...

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: aaabab ccdede ffebXbXddbbbb
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 6,6,13,
  • Closest metre: iambic tetrameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 000111 01010001 01110101 010000111 01010101 11100101 01011101 01011101 11010101 1101101 01011101 11011111 110111011 11010101 01010101 11010101 11010101 01011101 10111111 01110101 11010111 010100101 11110101 11000101
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 204
  • Average number of words per stanza: 39
  • Amount of lines: 24
  • Average number of symbols per line: 33 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 7
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

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

  • summary of Why We Fight;
  • 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