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

We fish, we fish, we merrily swim,
We care not for friend nor for foe.... 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: ABCCB dedeXXcaXfXfXgdgXABCCB
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 5,22,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: no rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 111111001 11111111 1111 1111 110111 11111011 1011110110 111001011 1010110010 11110001 111001001 010010010 11011001 01101111 111001011 01011011 11011001 11101101 11101001 11110111 11100101 111111001 11111111 1111 1111 110111
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 278
  • Average number of words per stanza: 56
  • Amount of lines: 26
  • Average number of symbols per line: 31 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 6
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; we, fish, for are repeated.

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

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

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

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Herman Melville