This is an analysis of the poem The Professional Wanderer that begins with:

When you’ve knocked about the country—been away from home for years;
When the past, by distance softened, nearly fills your eyes with tears— ... full text

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: aabbccbbddaabbeeddffgg
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 22,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: limerick
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111010100010110 101110101011101 111010101110111 101011101110111 1010100101011101 111011101110111 101110101111101 101111100010000 111111101111111 111011101010111 101011101010101 101010111010101 101010100011101 111010101011111 110111111010011 111110111110101 101110111011111 111010101110101 101010101010101 101110111111101 101111100010011 111110101011001
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 1487
  • Average number of words per stanza: 286
  • Amount of lines: 22
  • Average number of symbols per line: 67 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 13
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; you, ll, and, it, your, to, when are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Henry Lawson