This is an analysis of the poem The Passer-By that begins with:

WE are as children in a field at play
Beside a road whose way we do not know,... 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: aba aba cac
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 3,3,3,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: rima
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1111000111 0101111111 1111010101 0101100101 1101010111 1011110111 1111111111 1001100101 1111011101
  • Amount of stanzas: 3
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 121
  • Average number of words per stanza: 26
  • Amount of lines: 9
  • Average number of symbols per line: 40 (medium-length strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 9
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

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

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

  • summary of The Passer-By;
  • 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