This is an analysis of the poem Killed In Action that begins with:

MY father lived his three-score years; my son lived twenty-two;
One looked long back on work well done, and one had all to do--... 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: aaa bbb ccc
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11010110111101 11111111111101 11010101111111 11110101111111 10110011011101 11010101101111 11110101011111 11111011110101 11011101010100
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 183
  • Average number of words per stanza: 35
  • Amount of lines: 9
  • Average number of symbols per line: 60 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 12
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; my is repeated.

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

  • summary of Killed In Action;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Isabel Ecclestone Mackay